Portraits of LS Lowry and George Best go on display

Portraits of the painter LS Lowry and football legends Sir Bobby Charlton and George Best feature in two new exhibitions of work by the late artist Harold Riley in his home city.

Born in 1934, he sold his first painting at the age of 11 to Salford Museum and Art Gallery, which has opened a display, alongside another exhibition at Ordsall Hall.

Riley won admiration for his portrayal of subjects ranging from local backstreets to world dignitaries such as Pope John Paul II and Nelson Mandela. He died at the age of 88 in April 2023.

His widow Ashraf said Salford “cemented in him admirable qualities of love, loyalty and an unstoppable sense of duty and honest service”.

“His genuine determination was to simply portray what he saw in Salford, from its streets, buildings, shops, hospitals, families, children and its dogs.”