A COLLECTION of 900 works by Herefordshire artist Brian Hatton continues to be kept stored away.

Which is why a group of art lovers are campaigning to see a permanent exhibition of his works opened in Herefordshire.

Brian Hatton was a Hereford artist born in 1887, who was expected to become one of the country's most celebrated artists before he was killed in action fighting in Egypt in the First World War, aged 28.

His sister, Marjorie, opened an annex to the former Hereford Churchill House Museum in 1973 called Hatton Gallery so his work could be displayed but this was closed by Herefordshire Council in 2002.

Geoffrey Vevers, whose grandfather was the first cousin of Mr Hatton, said: "Marjorie spend her life looking after Brian's collection and left money to keep the gallery going.

"The council decided they could no longer afford it and it was put into storage and the gallery was used for other purposes, which was against all the wishes of the local artistic community and of course, the family."

Lottery money built a specialist storage facility in Friar Street, where the collection is housed and people can request to see it.

But with the centenary year of Mr Hatton's death upon us the call for a permanent display of his work has been restarted.

The hope was that there could at least be an exhibition at the library in Broad Street but it is currently closed due to asbestos.

Mr Vevers said the exhibition would need to be somewhere in the city centre to encourage footfall.

He said: "It would be a good thing for Herefordshire and for Brian Hatton. It would be particularly good for education and for tourism.

"It could be used in so many different ways as a positive benefit to Hereford and Herefordshire."

Mr Vevers said it is important to have a permanent exhibition place for Hereford's City of Culture bid.

Catherine Gilling, who set up Fugue Visions which is working on an educational video about Mr Hatton, said everyone needs to come together to create a plan that is future-proof and self-sustaining.

She said: "I feel really passionately that the people of Herefordshire, in a way, have been robbed because although the collection is there and they can telephone and make an appointment to go and see it, it is not readily accessible."

To book tours and appointments to see the Hatton collection call 01432 383383 or email herefordmuseums@herefordshire.gov.uk

Ideas for a permanent exhibition space can be emailed to catherinegilling@btinternet.com.