King George III coat of arms revealed at Sawley church after restoration

The painting has been hung in All Saints' Church, Sawley, over the door to the room where it was discovered

A coat of arms dating back to the 18th Century has been revealed after it was rediscovered in a church bell tower.

The 8ft (2.4m) painting was found in a back room in All Saints' Church in Sawley, Derbyshire, by the Mayor of Erewash, John Sewell.

The large painting, forgotten about for hundreds of years, depicts King George III's coat of arms.

The painting was revealed after business owner Rue Dilhe funded its restoration.

Mr Sewell said he stumbled across the painting while looking around the church.

"The church had an open day and I've always wanted to go up to the bell tower, and when I came down form the tower into a little room in the back, there was something on the wall and I saw a bit of a frame," he said.

Villagers gathered at All Saints' Church for the painting's unveiling

"It used to be in the main body of the church but in the 1800s it was moved into the room and covered up, basically.

"It's an artefact. It's historical and it belongs to the church.

"Why would you want to leave it in a back room when you could have it on show in your church?"

The painting was restored at the University of Lincoln after Mr Dilhe, managing director of local business Exel Computer Systems, offered to pay about £15,000 for the work.

"The size of it just knocked me back. It's just kind of giving back to the community and the church itself," he said.

The painting was revealed to churchgoers at a ceremony on Tuesday.

It has been hung in the nave of the church over the door to the room where it was discovered.

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