Friends of a Keighley artist who died recently are calling for an exhibition devoted to his work.

They believe painter and political activist Tom Kovic deserves a full "retrospective" at Cliffe Castle Museum.

Such a display - if approved by Bradford council museum chiefs - would be the first-ever exhibition by the Slovenia-born radical.

But Tom's lifelong friend and fellow artist John Craven believes the honour would be long overdue.

He says Tom's art and craft work reflected his interest in both social issues and the occult. He painted a fantastical mural on the walls of his council flat and filled his living room with his own animal sculptures.

One of Tom's paintings is still on the wall of the Red Pig pub in Church Green.

Mr Craven says: "He lived, or existed, on the Braithwaite estate, painting the dilemma of society. His work is very interesting.

"He always bucked the system and fought for the rights of the individual, showing this in his work.

"Tom saw his father shot by the Nazis in Yugoslavia and came to the UK for a new life with his mother."

Tom spent most of his life in Keighley, but also lived in South America, worked at sea and became a hippy in the 1960s.

He was disabled after damaging his back in the 1970s and from then on passed his time with art work.

Tom's friend and patron Pete Hunter says he also campaigned on issues such as police misconduct, corruption in public life and the legalisation of cannabis.

Mr Hunter says: "There are a good number of his pictures about. I think he gave a lot to friends.

"He was a very creative person and a fighter for truth and justice. He was a tireless campaigner for what he thought was right."

Mr Craven says Tom lived for several years in Colombia before returning to live in Braithwaite.

He says: "Something happened with the government, and as Tom was an activist the regime didn't like it."

Mr Craven has written to Bradford council's art and museum service requesting an exhibition of Tom's work.

He was told that Cliffe Castle's exhibition space was closed until Christmas while staff worked on new permanent galleries.

An exhibition programme for the New Year is currently being devised, but some displays are planned two years in advance.

A council spokesman this week told the Keighley News that Mr Craven's request would be looked at when museum staff had one of their regular exhibition meetings.

One of the council's art experts will examine Tom's work and decide whether it is good enough for an exhibition.

She suggests Mr Craven could also get in touch with places such as Keighley library to ask for space for a smaller display.