THE paintings of a Mancunian former teacher have taken the art world by storm after years of obscurity.

Gorton-born William Turner, 83, was a friend of Salford great L S Lowry, but never achieved the dizzy heights of success and recognition of his contemporary.

But a visit to his Congleton cottage from an art dealer in 2001 sparked unprecedented interest in Mr Turner's brooding urban landscapes - making him one of the best-selling artists in the country.

The veteran painter said: "I have always sold one or two a year, but this is unbelievable. People call me up and ask, 'Have you got any paintings?' I say, `No, but if you see any, let me know about it!'"

Top celebrities such as actor Peter Ustinov, media magnate Eddie Shah and ex-Olympic champion Seb Coe have since snapped up self-taught Mr Turner's renderings of industrial Greater Manchester.

David Gunning, of Todmorden Fine Art, is the man who revived his career. He first saw Mr Turner's work on a client's wall. He asked after the artist and was told he was dead - but continued his research and tracked him down to his Cheshire retreat.

When Mr Gunning first visited the painter, there were works all over his studio. Mr Gunning took 20 and sold them all within a week.

Mr Gunning has now sold 1,400 Turners at prices of up to £3,500, half of which feature Mr Turner's obsession - Stockport's great 27-arch railway viaduct.

Mr Turner's focus on the mills and smoggy skyline of Manchester linked him to the northern industrial school of painters, including Harold Riley and Lowry, whom he would meet in a city-centre Kardomah cafe.

Lowry attended every one of Mr Turner's exhibitions from 1950 till his death, and Mr Turner believes he is the only artist to paint Lowry's portrait when he was alive.

Mr Turner's work was critically acclaimed in his youth and he exhibited in high-profile shows in the north. But his work was not so well-received in London and he was not able to paint full-time until his retirement over 20 years ago.

To make a living he taught art in a further education college and then at Hulme Hall school in Cheadle Hulme, where he lived for 40 years.

Mr Turner was born on the Mount Road estate in Gorton in the shadow of the speedway stadium. He attended Spurley Hey senior school as a boy and his love affair with art began as a tot, when he would make model footballers from bits of pastry. Tweet