PAINTINGS produced by a late Bewdley artist and his wife will be sold at auction to raise money for two Wyre Forest charities.

Douglas and Florence Phillips' artwork will be auctioned at St George's Hall cafe in Bewdley on Saturday, September 7 to raise money for mental wellbeing charity Art and Chips and the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) Charitable Trust.

Some pieces will be on display in the cafe until September 7, and they include paintings of landscapes, trains, animals and flowers.

Douglas' daughter Hazel Phillips said: "My father, who would be 100 if he were alive today, spent half of his life painting.

"Many people enjoyed and bought his work. He would have been delighted to know that his work was being auctioned to raise money for worthwhile causes.

"He was a life member of the Severn Valley Railway. He met his second wife, Florence, at a painting class. They spent many happy hours painting together.

"Some of her paintings will also be auctioned."

Also in the auction will be items from the artist Thomas Cuneo, who was famous for his train paintings, and one picture by Roland Spencer-Ford.

Hilary Baker, of Art and Chips, which aims to improve emotional wellbeing and mental health in Bewdley, said: "I am delighted that Douglas and Florence’s work can help the development of Art and Chips, especially as they had attended one of my classes some years ago.

"We hope that Bewdley residents will support the auction so we can provide somewhere to go for those with mental health issues.”

Lesley Carr, of the SVR Charitable Trust, added: "Douglas clearly had a strong and longstanding affection for the Severn Valley Railway, and a passion for capturing the giants of steam in his paintings.

"It’s wonderful that a share of the proceeds from the auction will go towards preserving the SVR, and we feel certain that Douglas would also have approved.”