Lowry painting sells for £276,000

The Farm contrasts with Lowry's usual industrial scenes

A 1955 painting by LS Lowry not seen in public for more than 40 years has been sold at auction for £276,000.

The Farm, showing a pastoral scene in Lytham, Lancashire went for double its expected price at Bonhams in London.

But a second Lowry painting, The Footbridge, failed to sell at the 20th Century British Art auction.

The Manchester-based Co-Operative Financial Services (CFS) put the works up for sale to fund its programme of community art projects.

Matthew Bradbury, director of 20th Century art at Bonhams, said: "It is a pleasure to be handling two such contrasting paintings by one of Britain's most admired artists.

"The typical industrial street scene with its familiar footbridge motif that was used in quite a number of Lowry's paintings complements the more tranquil image of an empty countryside landscape depicting a farm."

A painting by Beryl Cook, who died in May, fetched more than double its estimate to realise a world record price of £69,600 for a work by the artist.

Granny with her Pet Mouse is an oil on board piece by the Surrey painter.