COUNCILLORS have condemned a Church of England decision to sell off millions of pounds worth of paintings which have hung in the Bishop of Durham's official residence for 250 years.

Thirteen portraits by 17th Century Spanish artist Francisco de Zurburan will be stripped from Auckland Castle, in Bishop Auckland, to support 43 needy parishes and dioceses around the country, including Durham.

The church commissioners board of governors voted for the sale on Thursday, but bowed to opinion in the region by saying it was "sympathetic to the view" that the paintings' natural home is in is the North-East.

Bowes Museum, at nearby Barnard Castle, is expected to lead the bidding, and director Adrian Jenkins has already looked at ways of raising funds.

Wear Valley District Council backed a campaign by The Northern Echo and Bishop Auckland Civic Society to save the collection Jacob and his Twelve Sons.

Leader Olive Brown said yesterday: "This collection is a unique and important part of Wear Valley's heritage, which, it now seems, is likely to be lost.

"The council waits with interest to see if a local buyer for the paintings can be found.

"The sale of the paintings could yield anything from £5m to £20m.

"It would be nice to think that this revenue would yield tangible benefits to people living in Wear Valley."

Civic society chairman Dr Robert McManners said: "It is the wrong decision. Auckland Castle is their rightful home and the commissioners could have done more to keep them there."