A family portrait by one of the North-East's best-known living artist is expected to realise several thousands of pounds when it comes under the hammer next week.

The portrait of Anne Cornish by her father Norman, who was born in Spennymoor, County Durham, will be sold by Newcastle auctioneers Anderson and Garland at the firm's new fine art showroom at Westerhope, Newcastle on Tuesday April 26.

John Anderson, the firm's picture specialist, said: "Although Norman is justly famous for his oil, watercolour and pencil studies of local pitmen working or relaxing, he is also a superb portrait painter - particularly when picturing himself, his wife Sarah, daughter Anne and son John.

"This is the first portrait of Anne we can recall, having been brought into us for sale and shows her as a girl in the early 1960s."

Mr Anderson said the painting had come from a private collection. Of added interest was a press cutting from The Northern Echo on the back, picturing yet another portrait of Anne, which featured in a local exhibition many years ago.

He added: "Norman was 85 last year and has been the subject of several exhibitions in recent years to celebrate his work.

"The University of Northumbria, with whose recently revamped gallery he has long enjoyed a special relationship, has helped organise several of these, including last year, his London debut exhibition."

The auctioneers first fine art sale at its new premises including paintings by another North-East artist, who could readily turn his hand from scenes of working life to fine portraits.

North Yorkshire-born Ralph Hedley (1848-1913) is represented by six painting in the firm's inaugural sale.

Mr Anderson said: "It's a happy coincidence that these superb oils by Hedley should be coming under the hammer at our inaugural sale at Westerhope only weeks after a plaque was placed on his one-time home in Newcastle, by the mayor of the city."