Primary schools are teaming up with a local artist to create a whizz-popping egg hunt for Easter Weekend.

Stephen Oliver is inviting youngsters into his studio at Orchards Shopping Centre to paint a collection of Roald Dahl themed eggs.

Ten primary schools from across Dartford submitted designs featuring the likes of The BFG, Matilda and Willy Wonka, which Stephen transferred to giant cutouts to be painted and scattered throughout the centre next week.

“I like to try and come up with a reason for doing a community project and up until now it has not particularly been for young children, so I wanted to do something specifically for them,” the artist explained.

“With Easter coming up and what would have been Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday later in the year, I thought it was a good a opportunity.”

Fresh off an utterly mad Alice in Wonderland project, Stephen’s latest celebration of children’s literature has proven equally popular.

Last week pupils from The Dartford Bridge School, Oakfield Community Primary School, Sutton-at-Hone Church of England Primary School, Joydens Wood Junior School and Dartford Primary Academy each spent a day with Stephen painting their eggs.

“All of the schools are doing something around the Roald Dahl theme anyway and so some of them were very quick to get involved,” said Stephen.

“It gets the children out on an expedition of sorts and gets them involved in a project in their town.

“Some of them are very young children and so their concentration starts to wane after a while, so some of the teachers have been helping them out.”

All the eggs will then be handed over to the shopping centre and scattered throughout the mall for Easter Weekend.

“The children will be given clues as to where each one is, go out and find them, and then come back when they have them all and claim a small prize,” explained Stephen.

“Kids can turn up on the day and it does not cost anything.”

Pick up next week’s Dartford Messenger for more photos of the egg painting and get to Stephen’s studio at the Orchards Shopping Centre on Saturday, March 26, to take part in the hunt.

Next week’s pictures feature The Brent Primary School, St Anselm’s Catholic Primary School, Fleetdown Primary School, Temple Hill Community Primary and Nursery and Manor Community Primary and Nursery.

The eggs have been sponsored by The Campanile Hotel, Wisdom Estates, Space to Trade, Harpers, Face Off, Orchards Shopping Centre, Mayor of Dartford Ian Armitt and Stephen himself.