An artist who was temporarily paralysed after three strokes has taught himself to paint again by building model airplanes.

Roy Mackintosh, 54, suffered the strokes in 2007, and underwent open-heart surgery to replace a valve.

He was hospitalised for 101 days.

But he has completed 60 paintings since his recovery, and will be opening his second exhibition in May.

His wife Lorna, who spoke on his behalf saying he suffered fatigue if he spoke too much, said: "I think his paintings are better than ever, better than everything he has done. Why that should be, I am not quite sure.

“With anybody with any talent, if for any reason you cannot express yourself in that talent, after a while it starts to scream at you.”

Mr Mackintosh suffered a stroke on Valentine’s Day six years ago. He had to learn how to move and speak again after his right arm and leg were left paralysed.

Mrs Mackintosh said: "He is naturally right-handed. He started writing with his left hand and he actually developed quite a good skill with his left hand.

"He got so good at it and he can now paint with both. Sometimes I have seen him with a paintbrush in both hands."

He did not pick up a paintbrush again until summer 2011. He built model airplanes while recovering, to train his fingers to handle small objects.

Mrs Mackintosh said: “I think when he first started picking up a paintbrush again that day was a bit scary because he did not want to find he couldn’t do it anymore.

“We spent a whole week saying 'let’s just paint and see what happens', and he started to paint the most wonderful things and he hasn’t stopped since.”

Last summer Mr Mackintosh, who lives in Effingham Road, Long Ditton, exhibited his work in a gallery in Thames Ditton.

He sold 60 per cent of the paintings in the first day. His next exhibition will be held at St Nicholas Church Hall on Summer Road, on May 25 2013.