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Bedfordshire sportswomen Pendleton and Radcliffe honoured through art

Katie Allen Picture of Victoria Pendleton and Paula RadcliffeKatie Allen
Paper-cut artworks of Victoria Pendleton and Paula Radcliffe were specially-commissioned for the exhibition

Sport stars Victoria Pendleton and Paula Radcliffe are being featured in a new art exhibition marking 100 years since women were granted the vote.

The Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist and former marathon world record holder are included in the "Celebrating Women of Bedfordshire" exhibition.

It honours 60 "great women" in areas such as suffrage, politics, arts and education, said organisers.

It is on at The Higgins museum in Bedford until 23 September.

Victoria Pendleton comes from Stotfold and Paula Radcliffe from Oakley, close to Bedford.

Artist Katie Allen was commissioned to produce portraits of the pair and 11 other inspirational local women.

Getty Images Victoria Pendleton and Paula RadcliffeGetty Images
Pendleton (left) won Olympic gold in 2012, while Radcliffe (right) held the women's world marathon record for years

She said: "I worked with a paper-cut design in green, purple and white of the suffragettes, with graphic shapes - it's quite a task to represent 50% of the population after all!

"It was fascinating learning about these inspirational figures, some very high profile, and some we know very little about."

Katie Allen A picture of Eleanor PaineKatie Allen
Eleanor Paine made slippers for injured soldiers in hospital in World War One
Katie Allen A picture of Margaret HardenKatie Allen
Margaret Harden worked at Hut 6 at Bletchley Park, was the secretary of Bedford Choral Society and a member of Beds and Milton Keynes Waterways

The exhibition includes works from artist Dora Carrington, who moved to Bedford with her family in 1903.

She was educated in the town and went on to study at the Slade School of Art.

Trustees of the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery Spanish Boy by Dora CarringtonTrustees of the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery
Dora Carrington (1893-1932) Spanish Boy, 1919-1929, oil on canvas

Suffragette and Bedfordshire's first female county councillor, Amy Walmsley, is also being featured, alongside photographs of prominent local people.

Emma Garrett, who runs Pavilion at the Park cafe and Kiosk at the Park, said: "It is a real honour to have been included.

"I am not sure I am worthy of the recognition but I am enormously appreciative and extremely proud!"

Emma Garrett/Cat Lane Emma GarrettEmma Garrett/Cat Lane
Emma Garrett, who runs several Bedford businesses, in front of her photo at the Celebrating Women of Bedfordshire exhibition

Victoria Partridge, one of the curators, said: "It has been a privilege and a delight to work on this exhibition with so many amazing women.

"These women are fantastic role models and it has been a real pleasure to get to know them and celebrate their impact."