A FORMER gangster who turned to graffiti to escape guns and violence on the streets of the West Midlands was today completing a rags to riches fairytale.

Former gang member Aaron Bird - whose tagging name is Temper - has been signed up by Chelsea billionaire Roman Abramovich in a deal worth more than £100,000.

The father-of-two was in two gangs that terrorised the region as a youngster, waging war on the streets.

The reformed thug, who admits he saw his first gun at the age of 14, has since carved a reputation as a cult graffiti artist or 'tagger'.

As you know, I have an artist-in-residence of my own.  What you may not know is that he spent 8 years in prison for multiple counts of mayhem.  I convinced the Governor that HarmoniousJosh's sentence should be commuted because he was mostly acting in self-defense and/or was responding to a provocation.  I also assured the Governor that I personally would see to it that HJ channeled his lethal fighting skills into the creation of fine art.

Notwithstanding my promise to the Governor, I felt that the only honorable thing to do in response to Abramovich's challenge that our respective artists-in-residence engage in a mixed martial arts rules fight was to accept his challenge on the condition that it be held here in Greensboro so that HJ not excessively violate the terms of his parole.  Stay tuned for details.

Temper                                                          HarmoniousJosh