A MYSTERY portrait of a farmer painted in 1972 has been returned to the depicted man's 'rightful' family. 

Created by Sue Mitford, the portrait was made during a visit to the Lake District. 

Sue, only 22 at the time, travelled to a remote farmhouse overlooking Lake Ullswater, noted in the Domesday book.

During her stay, Sue painted a portrait of the farmer living near there over two-afternoon sittings, not acquiring his name or address as she intended to utilise the artwork to gain admission into art school.

Five decades later, Sue decided to launch an appeal in The Cumberland News last November, hoping she would be able to reunite the artwork with who she believes is its rightful owners.

The appeal caught the attention of Jean Wilson, 82, a local farmer who still tends to Herdwick Sheep in the Ullswater area. 

"A lady in the village gave me a copy of the Cumberland News - we'd looked at it and she said it looked like my father.

"Then another few people in the village said it looked like Joe Maxwell.

"The clues were in the location," Jean said. 

Though Joe Maxwell has been dead for over 40 years, his image now stands prominent in Jean's home.

"I'm going to write back to her - thanking her for what's she done, the postage, the framing - it's nice to be able to thank someone for what they've done in 1972.

"Thank you very much, it's a good thing.

"When I showed it to my brother, he called his daughter in Barrow and said, 'Who do you think this is?' 'Oh, it's Grandad Maxwell,'" Jean said. 

Relieved the picture has now found its true home, Sue said: "I hope they are pleased with it.

"I didn't feel happy having it, I felt the picture doesn't belong to me anymore.

"He was sitting outside, the mountains were behind him with the sheep - he looked part of the wildness of it somehow, he looked like such a character with a great face," she said.