Artist's work to go on display thirty years after her death

Pictures painted by a Shropshire woman who died in a car crash almost 30 years ago are being exhibited together for the first time since her death.

About 45 original paintings by Val Gunnery, from Pontesbury, will be shown at Gleanings rural study centre near the Stiperstones.

Miss Gunnery was an English teacher but her brother Pete said painting had always been her passion and she had exhibited all over the world. Mr Gunnery said: "This is the first time her work has been exhibited since 1984 and this is the first time all the originals have been shown together.

"When the Gateway Gallery opened in Shrewsbury, they were some of the first works in there. We've got the pictures at home, they've just been in a bedroom all stacked up. A lot were shipped back from Brazil where she was living at the time.

"She had exhibitions all over the world but we thought we would try somewhere local."

Miss Gunnery was 32 when she died in 1982 on holiday in Shropshire .

Mr Gunnery said: "She always painted her whole life, it was her main passion, but the teaching paid the bills. She taught English."

The exhibition opened on Friday evening and the paintings will be on show until Friday this week from 11am to 5pm.