A NEWPORT AM is calling on the British Museum to release a painting of Newport Castle from storage so it can be displayed in the city.

Newport East AM John Griffiths has written to the museum asking for the release of the JMW Turner’s 1796 painting to be loaned to Newport Art gallery.

The painting by the famous artist is currently not on public display at the museum.

Mr Griffiths said: "There’s no point in it sitting in a locked room in London if it’s possible to have it on display in our city. And where better to hang it than an art gallery so close to the castle itself."

The Newport gallery currently has a copy of the painting by an unknown artist.

Mr Griffiths added: "I would be very happy if it is possible for the museum and Art gallery to come to some arrangement about this."

The British Museum has been in possession of the watercolour since 1910 when it was bequeathed to them and it has been loaned several times over the past 25 years.

In 1980, it was loaned to the London Bankside gallery, in 1984 it returned to Wales and was displayed in Llandudno and Swansea for the Turner and Wales exhibition.

Last year, it was loaned to the Beijing Palace Museum for the Britain meets the world exhibition.

A spokeswoman for the British Museum said the letter from Mr Griffiths had been received and was under consideration.

She added: "We have lent the Turner drawing in the past to Wales, however, this is usually a request made by the National Museums of Wales."