Council's Lowry will go on sale

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An LS Lowry painting will be sold to balance a local council's books, it has been decided.

A Riverbank was bought by Bury Council in Greater Manchester for £175 from the artist's agent, but could now fetch up to £500,000.

But the council has committed to making sure that the artwork's new home is another public gallery where it can stay on show.

Several approaches have already been made by potential buyers.

A spokeswoman for Bury Council said that "a couple of galleries" had shown an interest in the 1947 work by one of Salford's famous sons.

The profits will help plug a £10m deficit by the council.

'Tough choices'

It is currently on public show at the town's art gallery, but the council has said that it "does not reflect the present collection which consists mainly of Victorian narrative paintings".

The final decision to put the painting up for auction was made at a budget meeting at Bury town hall on Wednesday night.

Chief Executive Mark Sanders said: "We are committed to delivering top quality services to the people of Bury and if it means that we have to sacrifice one of our treasured works of art in order to maintain core services then that is what we will have to bear.

"It is one of a range of tough choices we are currently facing."