A south Norfolk artist is appealing for help to recover a lost painting which holds great sentimental value.

John Dawkins, a semi professional artist who moved to Chediston three months ago, was exhibiting his work with The Chediston Art Group last month at the pop-up shop I-Chameleon in Halesworth, when he lost the painting.

After the exhibition, which closed on July 23, Mr Dawkins took his paintings back to his car and believes he may have left one of his paintings in the car park behind The White Hart pub.

The painting shows a pleasure steamer leaving Southend Pier, and was created by Mr Dawkins at the time his wife passed away five years ago.

He said: “I was taking my pictures back to the car and I must have left it leaning near the car and drove off without it.

“It was a crazy thing to do and was completely careless of me but I was distracted.

“It has got a lot of sentimental value to me because my wife died five years ago and I was working on the painting at the time. It was a very traumatic time.

“I should have taken better care of it and would dearly love to get it back if I could.”

Mr Dawkins, 64, who is a retired graphic designer, has also exhibited the painting at the Mall Galleries in London as part of an exhibition by the Royal Society of Marine Artists, and uses a photo of the painting on his publicity posters and business cards.

Mr Dawkins, who moved to the area after living and working in London and Essex for 40 years, is hoping to spend his retirement painting and drawing and will be exhibiting his work again at Halesworth Library on Saturday for two weeks.

The father of three has always painted as a hobby, and after climbing to a managerial role at work decided he missed the creativity and started painting more and more and selling his work.

He decided Suffolk would be the perfect place to live and paint now he is retied.

Anyone with information about the lost painting can call Mr Dawkins on 07597149341 or email theresa.hardy15@btinternet.com.