A charity has launched plans to tackle the growing problem of sectarian graffiti in Glasgow by commissioning a series of murals promoting the city's diversity.

Nil By Mouth has come up with the plans to install public artwork with a strong anti-sectarian message in select locations across the city.

Last November it was revealed that reported incidents of sectarian graffiti in Glasgow had more than doubled from the previous year including abusive messages being sprayed on St Aloysius College building in Garnethill and daubed on a wall outside Ibrox stadium.

In February this year STV News revealed that "We Hate Catholics" had been spray painted in huge letters on a factory near the city centre in full view of a motorway meaning it would be one of the first things to greet many visitors to the city.

Nil By Mouth also hopes to tap into Glasgow's growing "mural tourist trail". It has asked the city council's permission to give local artists and schools use of publicly owned buildings and spaces to create thought provoking murals, highlighting positive relationships between people from different religions and cultural backgrounds in the city.

It hopes the murals will make people consider the impact of sectarian attitudes on society.

Nil by Mouth campaign director Dave Scott said: "We've been dismayed in recent months with the number of incidents of sectarian graffiti being reported with abuse being directed toward both Catholics and Protestants on walls and shopfronts in prominent parts of the city.

"We don't want people, especially tourists, to think that this moronic minority speak for the rest of us. Huge strides have been made in tackling sectarianism in Glasgow over the past two decades and this is the message we should be sending to the world.

"That's why we have come up with the idea of commissioning a series of murals celebrating the city's diversity and promoting a strong anti-sectarian message. "

The idea comes just weeks after east-end artist Kelly Coyle won a competition that will see her portrait Torn displayed in the city's St Mungo Museum over the next 12 months.

Nil By Mouth want to make Torn, which shows a young boy cracking down the middle as he is being pulled in different directions, one of their first murals in the city.

Kelly grew up in the Gallowgate and Bridgeton areas of the city and describes herself as coming from a "mixed family" with one half catholic Celtic fans and the other half protestant Rangers fans.

On winning the competition in January she says she used her experiences of growing up to shape the piece.

She said: "I found myself in a number of situations where I couldn't understand why one side of my family could attend an event but the other couldn't, in my art I wanted to convey how this impacted on me a child.

"Children have a mind ready to be moulded and are often taught to hate by the tainted opinions of those around them, trying to teach them the way of 'their' colours instead of letting them chose their own.

"As a child I liked hearing the music of the Orange walk as well as watching Celtic play. Why couldn't I do both?

"Children usually pick a football team depending on what their family support but what if their family support both? How does this impact upon them? It left me feeling torn.

"I hope my image can be used to highlight children's mental health and how sectarianism can leave them feel shattered, broken and needing to "pick a side".'

Dave Scott said: "Kelly Coyle's Torn is one possibility as it's already being displayed in St Mungo museum and would make a very powerful statement if displayed in the city centre.

"We also have lots of brilliant work being carried out in the city's schools and there is great possibility there for producing artwork celebrating community.

"There's growing interest in Glasgow's 'mural trail' and it's rightly being used to promote tourism and the city's vibrant cultural scene.

"By adding a mural of this sort to the city's collection we can ensure people get the message that Glasgow really is a city for everyone.

"We hope the city council can get behind this idea and work with us to secure appropriate public space to give talented artists and schools the chance to prove that people, really do, make Glasgow."

Nil by Mouth was set up by Glasgow teenager Cara Henderson in 1995 in response to the sectarian murder of her friend Mark Scott as he made his way home from a football match in 1995.

Since then the charity has delivered hundreds of workshops, events and programmes to tens of thousands of people right across Scotland.