YORK'S "lost" Lowry painting could return to its roots - but only if the city can meet the £400,000 price tag for the work of art.

LS Lowry, who gained international recognition for his paintings of industrial scenes and "matchstick men", painted A View Of York in 1952.

The painting, which depicts York as seen from Melrosegate, was sold in 1998 for £78,000, but art lovers wanting to get their hands on the piece now would need more than five times that amount, as the asking price has rocketed to £400,000.

York Art Gallery was once given the chance to snap up the picture for only £50 and turned it down. Instead it was bought by a York solicitor, who died in 1987.

But the gallery did get its hands on the picture's sister, a Lowry painting of Clifford's Tower, which is now one of the gallery's star attractions.

Now the gallery says it is unlikely A View Of York will find a place on its walls in the near future.

Caroline Worthington, curator of fine art for York Museums Trust, said: "We are very interested in the fact that this painting has become available, as we already have a Lowry painting of York in our collection.

"However, our priority at the moment is refurbishing York Art Gallery, rather than adding to the collection. We will be looking at our future priorities during the course of next year."

The painting is being sold by Richard Green, one of Britain's leading art dealers, who has a gallery in London's Mayfair, along with 29 other Lowry paintings. He has no connection with the gallery's former curator of the same name.

But despite the hefty price tag, the picture of York is far from being Lowry's most valuable painting. Going To The Match, painted in 1953, was bought for £1,926,500 by the Manchester-based Professional Footballers' Association.

Updated: 08:32 Wednesday, May 19, 2004