A painting by a former prisoner of war which was to form part of a series presented to Sir Winston Churchill could be hanging on a Brighton wall.

Friends of the artist are trying to trace the work, which depicts life inside the notorious Stalag 383 and is a follow-up to one which Churchill had displayed in his Chartwell basement hideout.

The artist, Victor West, decided to get rid of his masterpiece because he said it made him depressed and brought back bad memories of his time at Stalag.

So he gave it to a calling "totter", a trader in memorabilia, who came from Brighton, while he was clearing out some junk from his home.

The first piece had been inspired by Churchill's speeches to the people of occupied Europe, which Victor heard while still a prisoner in the notorious camp in January 1944.

It was presented to Churchill in March 1955, shortly before he stepped down from office as Prime Minister.

When the National Trust took over Chartwell, its arts commission selected some of Churchill's paintings and the Churchill family made their own free choices from the remainder.

Victor, who now lives in Bedfont, Middlesex, said he would be interested in finding out who has the work.

Victor's friend Ray Seaford wants the work, which shows soldiers sitting around a table inside the prison's barracks, to be recognised and put on public display for residents of Brighton and Hove.

Anyone who might know of its whereabouts should contact Victor on 01784 247703.