BOLTON's successful bid to bring one of its "lost" treasures back home has been given an official pat on the back.

Bolton Council this week congratulated all the individuals and organisations across Bolton and beyond who pledged the £1.5 million needed to bring Thomas Moran's painting "Nearing Camp on the Upper Colorado River' back to Bolton.

The £1.5m painting right was in danger of being shipped to New York where experts predicted it could have fetched millions.

But thanks to a concerted campaign by Bolton's Museum staff, with support from numerous organisations the painting is set to take its place back "home" in January.

The appeal was given an initial boost by a massive £1,020,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This coupled with a £60,000 donation from the JB Gass Charitable Trust, £37,500 from the National Art Collection Fund, £10,000 from The Pilgrim Trust, £10,000 from the Friends of the Museum and Art Gallery, £7,500 from the Granada Foundation, £5,000 from the Foundation for Sports and Art, £10,000 from the Richard Green Gallery, London, £2,000 from Chetham Construction, Manchester, and £2,000 from the Pym's Gallery, London, and a last-minute donation from council coffers of £118,000 secured the painting.

Cllr Laurie Williamson said: "This whole venture represented a fairly unique opportunity to have a Moran in the art gallery and our local art collection has been given a significant boost.

"It is a remarkable and unique painting and the success of the campaign is down to many individuals and organisations who worked together with officers of the council. It was a collective effort."

The Chairman of Bolton's Arts Committee Cllr Don Eastwood said the race to raise the money had gone to the very edge.

"The museum staff put a very big effort into this, but we also got support from the public and lots of publicity nationally and internationally."

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