AN oil painting of a former mayor has been left to Darlington in his son's will.

William George Loraine bequeathed the painting of his father, Robert Henry, who was mayor in the 1960s.

The serving mayor, Councillor Ron Lewis met members of the Loraine family on Friday and accepted the portrait painted by a former art master from Darlington Grammar School.

They said that William Loraine had wanted the painting to be returned to the family's home town and be presented to the current mayor of Darlington.

In return for the portrait, the family was presented with a keepsake photograph of Robert Henry copied from the picture on display in the mayor's gallery.

They were then taken on a tour of the town hall and saw the portrait of Robert Henry's father, William George Loraine, Mayor of Darlington from 1923 to 1924.