MASTER forger Shaun Greenhalgh should be commissioned to produce new artwork for Bolton Museum, it has been suggested.

Greenhalgh, who fooled the art world with his skilful forgeries, owes Bolton Council and the people of Bolton, according to museum boss Matthew Constantine.

The forger, from Bromley Cross, achieved fame when he created the Amarna Princess, a fake ancient Egyptian statue which was bought by the council for £440,000.

Interest in the statue is huge, but attempts to bring his most famous work home to display in Bolton Museum have so far proved unsuccessful.

Now members of the public have instead suggested that Greenhalgh be commissioned to create new art for the museum.

Mr Constantine, Bolton Museum’s collections manager, told Wednesday night’s meeting of the Bromley Cross area forum: “It’s become part of the borough’s social history and I think he owes us. He owes us all.”

He said that the idea of commissioning new artwork from Greenhalgh had been suggested before, but not by the council.

Mr Constantine was giving a presentation to the forum about the museum and library services when he explained that there was very little in the collection from Bromley Cross.

But a member of the public interjected, saying: “Actually, there is one very famous statue from Bromley Cross.”

The Amarna Princess is now owned by the Metropolitan Police and held in a secure storage locker in London.

The council paid £440,000 for it in 2003, but that cash was returned after the court case in 2007, when Greenhalgh was jailed for four years. The money has now been returned to the people who funded the purchase and the statue is used by the Metropolitan Police for training.

The Amarna Princess went on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London earlier this year as part of a fakes and forgeries exhibition, but the council is still in discussion with the Metropolitan Police about borrowing the statue for an exhibition in Bolton.

Dr Tom Rasmussen, senior lecturer in the history of ancient art at the University of Manchester, said of Greenhalgh: “He was very talented and produced work in various media and various periods. He had an eye for style.”