ONE of the earliest paintings of Bradford-raised artist Alister Colley has resurfaced and has been valued at more than 15 times its original purchase price.

Mr Colley, who lives near Harrogate, but grew up in Bradford, produced the painting called 'Forest Landscape - Swinsty' ten years ago and it was bought for £600 in 2006.

It was part of a series of 18 paintings of the Yorkshire countryside that he painted using the pointillism technique, which is very different to the vibrant style Mr Colley has developed and has now become synonymous with.

The painting only resurfaced after the owners contacted Zeitgeist Fine Arts in Pateley Bridge, near Harrogate, the gallery owned by Mr Colley and his wife Claire, with the aim of displaying it there.

They had intended to sell the large landscape painting after moving house and down-sizing.

But the couple were shocked to discover its current valuation and decided to keep it. The painting was given a retail valuation in excess of £8,000 and an insurance valuation of approximately £10,000 - more than 15 times the amount it cost them ten years ago.

All of the paintings in the series are under private ownership, with Mr Colley unaware of who bought them. As a result he had also not seen the painting in question for the last ten years.

Mr Colley, who was chosen as the official artist of Yorkshire's Grand Depart for the Tour de France in 2014, and produced the first official Grand Depart painting, said: "It was amazing to see this painting again after all these years, and it made me incredibly curious to discover who had bought the other pieces since no records were kept at the time.

"My career has gone from strength to strength over the last decade and the owners of these early works may not realise what they now have."

The 18 paintings in the series were sold through a gallery in Knaresborough and there are no records detailing who bought them.

Mr Colley, who studied art and design at Leeds Metropolitan University, has also been nominated for the title of Best Selling Published Artist at this year's Fine Art Trade Guild Awards, a title he won last year.

This makes it an unprecedented seventh consecutive year he has been nominated. Past winners of the award include Beryl Cook, David Shepherd and Jack Vettriano.

The winner is expected to be announced in next month at an awards dinner being held in Stratford-upon-Avon.