THE heartbroken owner of a cherished oil painting which was sold in York after a mix-up is hoping to be reunited with the work.

Diana Afanasenko, who lives in Devon, is trying to find the person who bought the painting for £5 as lot 528 at Stephenson's auction rooms, at York Livestock Centre, Murton, on October 24, in the hope she can buy it back.

The gilt-framed watercolour of a moorland scene by Tom Williams is not of any real material value, but is of enormous sentimental value to Mrs Afansenko.

She said: "The picture belonged to my grandmother and used to hang in my bedroom when I was a child. When my grandmother died I used to think she had gone to the place between the two distant mountains on the painting. It means a lot to me and I would love to get it back."

The painting was sold after it became mixed up with items which Mrs Afansenko's widowed mother was clearing out after she moved into York from the family home in Cawood.

Mrs Afansenko is prepared to reimburse the person who bought the picture or to buy them a similar picture to replace it.

If you bought the picture or know where it is, call Tony Tierney at the Evening Press on 01904 653051, extension 306.

Updated: 12:03 Wednesday, January 16, 2002