HE said he would gladly have it hang on any room in his house.

Unfortunately for Keith Burnage, he has had to make do with staring at the photo art on the walls of Oxford Heart Centre.

Young photographers from Magdalen College School were given the task of creating pictures for patients’ rooms to ease recovery and the stress of waiting for treatment.

Mr Burnage, Thames lock-keeper at Sonning, was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital on June 14.

He was diagnosed with a very rare form of endocarditis, where his heart valves were attacked by a form of plant vegetation that doctors believe may have been airborne.

The 60-year-old said: “It all started about five weeks ago when I was really short of breath, and suffering from something like flu. I’m in the equivalent of the Heathrow waiting lounge now, just waiting to go in for the operation.

“As soon as I saw the pictures I thought they were beautiful. I’d love to take one home.”

Fifty photographs will make the final selection in December.