An artist has fulfilled a long-held ambition by having one of his paintings of a tea hut accepted to the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition.

On Saturday Martin Barrall found out his rendering of the tea hut in High Beech, Epping Forest and its owner Bradley Melton would feature in the Piccadilly based exhibition, having fought off most of 19,000 other entrants.

The Chingford resident has long been a visitor to the hut, starting when he would pick mushrooms with his family nearby and more recently as he would bike through the forest.

Mr Barrall said: "It is something I have been trying to do for some years.

"I have been shortlisted many times.

"I have put the painting up for sale for about £8,000, but I am also doing about 15 prints."

In August 2016 Mr Barrall told The Guardian of his love for the hut and explained his ambition to be included in the Summer Exhibition.

At the time he said: "It is an intriguing place. I've been going round it for about 60 years and decided to paint it at different times of the year, to show how it looks during different seasons.

"I've got one of it covered in snow, as well as a picture of the hut in autumn, as it looks beautiful at that time of year.

"I'm working on two new paintings at the moment that I'm hoping to have them ready for an exhibition next summer at the Royal Academy of Arts, in Piccadilly.

"One of the paintings is of Bradley, the hut owner, at his hatch serving tea and the other one is of a Sunday afternoon when a lot of bikers were gathered and you see a rain shower pouring down on them.

"The forest is beautiful and we're very lucky to have it. I love the hut as it is so interesting and is a magnet for visitors from different walks of life.

"A few famous people have been spotted, such as artist Grayson Perry, who cycles along there and it is also not unusual to see film crews there too and occasionally the cast of The Only Way Is Essex."

Instead of spending hours sat outside the hut, Mr Barrall takes photos and then paint in his studio at home.

The tea hut image is made using acrylic paints and coloured and lead pencils.

As well as selling his work, Martin has also made a living over the years as an art and design teacher in various schools and colleges in Haringey and Harlow.