ART lovers will be surrounded by talent when they visit Bury Art Gallery over the next two months.

The Moss Street gallery is hosting the 143rd annual open exhibition by Manchester Academy of Fine Arts (MAFA).

This is the fifth year it has been held at Bury while Manchester Art Gallery is being redeveloped.

Altogether there are 328 pieces of work, in every conceivable medium, in the show which runs until May 11.

Artists from across the country are represented, including local practitioners Flo Brady of Prestwich, Patricia Leontieff of Ainsworth, and Dennis Markuss of Bury.

The MAFA Major Award, which carries a prize of £2,000, went to Michael Hayes of Chorley, for his "Game Painting: Chess: Your emotions make you a monster", a large colourful piece in oil, acrylic and emulsion gloss.

Vistors can vote for their favourite piece of work for "The People's Prize".

Mr Ian Thompson, MAFA president, said: "This year's exhibition again shows that we have maintained our good reputation for diversity and a wide range of skills that speak with freshness and sensitivity.

"It is our fifth year in Bury's superb gallery and we are grateful to its curator and his staff."

Bury Art Gallery is open from 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

Irene and Clifford Bolton (pictured) cast an eye over "Mislike me not for my complexion" made from glass fibre resin and acrylic paint by Christine Pearson.