A specially-commissioned painting will adorn the front page of a regional daily’s Remembrance Sunday edition.

The work, which is being kept a closely guarded secret, will appear on the front page of the Darlington-based Northern Echo – which will publish on a Sunday for the first time since Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997.

It is being produced by Middlesbrough-born artist Mackenzie Thorpe at the request of the Echo.

The special edition forms part of the paper’s ‘£100,000 for 100 years’ campaign, launched earlier this year in support of the Phoenix House rehabilitation centre, established by Help For Heroes, at Catterick Garrison.

Said Mackenzie: “The Northern Echo’s plan to produce a Remembrance Sunday edition is a very special initiative and I am honoured to have been asked to produce a piece of work for the front page. I am thrilled that my work will be used to support Help For Heroes, a charity which is close to my heart.”

The Remembrance Sunday newspaper will feature photographs and names of North-East soldiers who died in the Great War, and a collection of historic front pages from the Echo archives.

It will be sold for £1 (one penny for each year since the outbreak of the First World War) and 10p for every copy will go to the Phoenix House appeal.

In addition, Mackenzie’s original painting will be auctioned with all proceeds going to the appeal.

Echo editor Peter Barron added: “From the moment we contacted Mackenzie, he has thrown himself behind this project.

“I have no doubt that the work he produces will make this edition of The Northern Echo one of the most memorable in the distinguished 144-year history of the paper.”

The painting will be kept under wraps until a digital unveiling on the Newsquest-owned title’s website at 7pm the night before.