AN AMATEUR artist from Tavistock is hoping to be reunited with one of his favourite paintings after it was stolen while being exhibited to raise money for the town's Royal British Legion.

Garfield Hawke, aged 77, who has been an associated member of Tavistock RBL for more than 20 years, volunteered to show his collection of mainly countryside, moorland and waterside scenes to raise money for the club in King Street.

Art is very much a hobby to Garfield, who suffers from arthritis and angina, and his exhibition, held at the RBL between May 27 and June 3, was his first ever.

Garfield put 40 pictures on display in one of the RBL's room and three of his paintings were sold. However, when the exhibition was taken down after a week, and the paintings returned to him, he realised one was missing.

Entitled 'Evening Glow', the 18ins x 14ins oil painting, in a blue wash background, shows four galleon-type ships at anchor. It was on sail at £45 and signed G Hawke and dated. The canvas is encased in a distinctive, engraved wooden frame.

Garfield, a retired stonemason who lives in Tavistock, began painting more than 40 years ago.

He said: 'Its not an original but a copy of a painting, which when I saw it I immediately liked. I have also done a similar one in pink. I was very pleased with it and it is one of my favourites.

'It can't be worth very much to the person who took it and to be honest I would rather have given it away then have had it stolen.'

PC Colin Taylor, of Tavistock police, said it was likely the painting was stolen over the weekend of May 29/30. It might have been taken from the van when the paintings were being delivered to take into the exhibition or after, when they were being loaded up.

PC Taylor added he had talked to the Royal British Legion and they said they would put out a description of the painting to their members and appeal within the club for any information.

If you have any information please call PC Taylor at Tavistock Police Station on 08452 777444, quoting crime reference JT/10/682.