WORKS of art by one of Yorkshire’s best known artists had to be rescued by firemen when a London town house burst into flames.

Nine people were rescued from the £10m townhouse in London’s Wimpole Street, Maryleborne, along with the paintings which included several by Victorian artist Atkinson Grimshaw which could be worth up to £250,000 and £300,000 if they are originals.

The paintings ended up being propped against railings along the pavement. Atkinson Grimshaw was famous for his night time paintings of London, Leeds, Whitby, Scarborough and Liverpool, which have become increasingly valuable over recent years.

A major exhibition of his work , the first for over thirty years was held in the Mercer Gallery in Harrogate to coincide with the launch of a new book about the author. He died in 1896 leaving many paintings but few journals or information, so little is known about his life.

A spokesman for the fire brigade said it was routine to rescue what could apparently be valuable works of art from a building once residents had been safely evacuated.