£100,000 art haul returned

Kane Cunnigham, a 49-year-old lecturer at the Yorkshire Coast College, reported the haul of 40 paintings stolen from his studio at Knipe Point, near Scarborough, nearly two months ago. At the time, Mr Cunningham described the theft, which included his own works as well as 28 paintings by a friend Mik Godley, as exciting, saying: “There is a kind of creativity in the act.”

Now the stolen paintings have been returned to Mr Cunnigham on a low loader truck in broad daylight by a mystery unnamed intermediary.

The go-between had apparently managed to locate the works and brought them all back before they were shipped abroad.

Mr Cunningham bought the studio bungalow at Knipe Point for £3,000, paying for it on his credit card, because it is in danger of landslips and plans to fill it with cameras to record its last moments.

Neighbours have objected that publicity for the project has devalued their houses – most of which are in no immediate danger.

But Mr Cunningham said he did not think that had anything to do with the theft.

Picture: Tony Bartholomew