LLANDEILO’S new mayor has embarked on the first challenge of her tenure – discovering the whereabouts of a lost painting.

The portrait of Queen Victoria had hung in the town’s civic hall in Crescent Road for decades, but went missing during the redecoration of the building two or three years ago.

Now Cllr Dawn Wallace, who was elected town mayor last week, has called on residents who may have information about the painting to come forward.

“The portrait had been hanging in the civic hall going back to the time when it was called the Jubilee Hall,” said Cllr Wallace.

“It was a rather large painting – around three-foot by two-foot – and I think Queen Victoria may have been wearing a blue sash – but I’m not totally sure about that.

“I know that the painting was taken down during the redecoration of the hall a few years ago, but it seems that it was never rehung after the work was finished.

“ E v e r y o n e appears to have forgotten all about it until recently when I have had a number of people ask me what had happened to it.

“Since it was taken down it seems to have disappeared and noone has any idea what happened to it.”

Cllr Wallace believes the most likely explanation behind the disappearance is that the painting went into storage during the refurbishment and is in some forgotten storeroom.

“It would be great if wecould get the painting back in place in time for the Queen’s jubilee celebrations,”

she said.

Anyone with any information regarding the lost portrait should contact Cllr Wallace through the Guardian by e-mailing steve.adams@southwalesguardian.

co.uk or by phoning 01269 590896.