ARTIST Ashley Jackson last night claimed one of his paintings, presented to Barnsley hospitals after a doctor saved his daughter's life, had been thrown into a hospital skip.
He said several members of staff had told him that a porter retrieved the water colour, valued at more than £30,000, and returned it to management.
Ashley added:"I was upset when I heard what had happened to the painting. To have a painting in a skip is like sending a personal letter to a friend who then burns it."
But the hospital has not confirmed the painting ended up in a skip. A spokesperson for the Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: "As part of our ongoing programme to deep clean wards it means we need to store some furniture and dispose of old equipment while the work is done.
"Last week a painting which should have been taken into storage was put to one side while staff checked to see where it needed to go.
"The painting is one of two specially crafted for the hospital in the 1970s by the renowned local artist Ashley Jackson. We are extremely proud to own both of them."
