Armed robbers who grabbed artworks worth more than a million pounds from York City Art Gallery left behind Lowry's famous painting of Clifford's Tower.

York City Art Gallery curator Richard Green with a Paul Maitland painting, Boat Moored On The Thames, broken in half and left behind by the armed raiders

The Lowry picture of Clifford's Tower which was left behind

They took the work, and two other Lowrys, down off the wall but left them on the floor when they made off with 20 paintings, including a Turner watercolour of Rievaulx Abbey.

The paintings, which include a typical Lowry scene of Salford, are thought to be undamaged.

The "callous" thieves still found time to steal a small amount of cash from one of four members of staff who they had tied up and threatened during the raid on Friday evening.

The staff members are still too distressed to talk about their ordeal at the hands of two men, who were armed with a sawn-off shotgun and a pistol.

Det Insp Phil Metcalfe, of York Police, said the three male museum attendants and the female shop assistant were still coming to terms with what had happened. "They did go prepared to tie them up and made them lie on the floor in an upstairs room. They were prepared to gag them as well."

A team of detectives investigating the robbery is today following up new leads, including several calls from people who may have seen the suspects in the vicinity of the gallery on Friday afternoon.

A car was seen to drive quite quickly behind King's Manor at about 5.25pm and the police have appealed to its owner to come forward to it can be eliminated from inquiries.

It was described as a white medium-sized saloon car, fairly new, which could have been a Vauxhall.

Police are also asking art dealers across the UK to keep a look out for the stolen paintings, a detailed description of which is being circulated, and are liaising with other forces. DI Metcalfe said: "The paintings will have to surface somewhere and hopefully if they do people will be able to recognise them and contact us."

Curator Richard Green said most of the non-British pictures stolen had been donated to the art gallery in 1955 as part of the FD Lycett Green collection.

Several of the British works had been donated by the former Dean of York Eric Milner White, during the years 1941 to 1963.

The art gallery opened for the first time today since the raid. City of York Council's Leisure Services committee chairman, Coun Bob Scrase, said a full review of security would begin as soon as possible and the council would contact the police and other galleries to look at what measures could be taken

Meanwhile, more detailed descriptions of the robbers have been released:

The first, who was referred to as Bert, was 5ft 7in tall with short, medium dark hair, thick set, and aged between 35 and 40. He was wearing a black leather three-quarter length coat, which looked too big for him, and dark green shoes.

The second, referred to as Tony, was 5ft 10in, was large-chested, heavily-built, wearing a well-worn green waxed jacket which appeared to be too small for him.

Anyone with information should call York police on 01904 631321.

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