Even when he鈥檚 on holiday, Peter Allen looks for opportunities to work on his craft.

The Victoria muralist was in Enderby on vacation last month when he noticed a blank wall on the side of Mel鈥檚 Pizza on Cliff Avenue and saw an opportunity.

Over five days, Allen painted a mural of a turtle on the wall, free of charge.

鈥淚t鈥檚 gorgeous,鈥� said Melanie King, the owner of Mel鈥檚 Pizza for the last 17 years. 鈥淔or him to do that, to come into town and just want to make it prettier and more beautiful, that鈥檚 just amazing. You don鈥檛 see too many people like that anymore.鈥�

King said her son was working at the restaurant when Allen came in and offered his services pro bono.

鈥淚t was amazing to watch him work,鈥� King said, adding Allen appeared to freehand the mural for the most part.

She says Allen came up with the idea for the turtle after rescuing one that was crossing Mabel Lake Road.

鈥淗e saved the turtle, he put it to the side (of the road) that it was going to and then he came up with that idea.鈥�

The mural has received rave reviews from customers and people around Enderby.

鈥淧eople actually come down and just look at it,鈥� said King.

While Allen didn鈥檛 ask for any payment to paint the mural, King says anytime he comes to town, he can eat at Mel鈥檚 Pizza for free.

The turtle mural isn鈥檛 Allen鈥檚 only effort to beautify the city while he鈥檚 in town; King said he鈥檚 working on another mural three doors up from her business on Cliff Avenue.

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