ONE of the region's most famous artists, Sheila Mackie, had good and bad news this week in her quest to unravel her personal art mystery.

The good news is that the circus painting she donated to the children of her home town of Chester-le-Street in 1958 will remain on view to youngsters for now.

But the bad news is it will be returned to Northumberland County Council and will only be shown to children there.

Mrs Mackie, a former circus worker who now lives in Shotley Bridge, had not seen the painting since she gave it and two others to Chester-le-Street children's library in the Fifties.

Then she spotted a picture of it with a story in The Northern Echo earlier this year.

To her dismay, the article reported that it was to be sold at auction on behalf of Northumberland County Council.

The sale of the picture has since been put on hold and a final decision on whether to sell the work - now worth up to £3,000 - has yet to be made.

The two other paintings have never been found.

How the third ended up in possession of Northumberland County Council remains a mystery despite extensive investigations by Durham County Council, to whom it was originally given.

The council had hoped to have the painting returned and display it for the youngsters for whom it was originally intended.

But a spokesman said this week that the painting, currently on display as part of an exhibition of Mrs Mackie's work at the DLI art gallery in Durham City, would be returned to Northumberland.

He said: "The story of the lost painting has provoked a considerable amount of discussion and speculation but, as yet, no further information which offers a definitive explanation as come to light.

"It remains one of those art mysteries."

Mrs Mackie, 72, said she would not be happy until the work was returned to Chester-le-Street.

She said: "I suppose it's better than it being sold straight away but I'm not really pleased.

"I didn't really give that painting to Durham County Council, let alone Northumberland. I gave it and the other two to the children of my home town and that's where it should be."

A spokesman for Northumberland County Council said the painting would be placed on display at children's libraries in the county for the 'forseeable future.'

A large number of visitors have travelled to see the painting from Chester-le-Street at the current exhibition. It is on display at the DLI gallery at Aykley Heads in Durham until Sunday.