AN artist who paints with her mouth produced an image of a famous racehorse to help bring in cash on a charity day at York Races.

Leanne Beetham, a student with the Mouth And Foot Painting Artists, was born with arthrogryposis and a severe curvature of the spine, meaning she cannot use her arms or legs. She paints by holding the paintbrush between her teeth.

Leanne produced a painting of Frankel, which is trained by Sir Henry Cecil and owned by Prince Khaled Abdullah, which was then auctioned to racegoers to raise £500 for the charity pot.

James Brennan, spokesman for York Racecourse, said the day had raised about £160,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support and other causes. A silent auction raised £9,000 for a racing trip to Ireland, among other lots.

Mr Brennan said 28,000 people had attended, and saw jockey Ryan Moore win five of the six races in which he rode – odds of 687 to 1 – and another winner for North Yorkshire when Keith Ryan, of Hambleton, won the one race Ryan failed in.

The winner of the ladies’ amateur race was Jacqueline Coward, the daughter of Tim Easterby’s cousin, on Crackentorp.