AN ART sale featuring a chair signed by English football star Wayne Rooney is set to be held at Penarth Pier Pavilion this weekend.

The unique art sale will also feature a large number of paintings and prints from several well-known Welsh artists.

Professor Tony Hazell, a trustee of Penarth Arts and Crafts Limited, the charity responsible for the Washington Gallery before it closed in March 2013, said that whilst the renovation of the Pier Pavilion was being undertaken the charity did not have enough room for the works of art in its temporary accommodation, in Windsor Court on the Esplanade, but was anxious that they were well looked after.

He agreed to provide temporary storage facilities in his own home and, following the formal opening of the Pavilion to the public at the beginning of December last year, has spent the past few weeks endeavouring to contact the various artists responsible for the paintings and prints.

"It transpired that most of the works of art had been donated to the charity in support of the Pavilion renovation project and the vast majority of the artists contacted were still keen to provide support through the sale of their painting or print," he said.

"A unique art sale will therefore take place in the Pier Pavilion on Friday and Saturday, April 11 and 12, between 10am and 4pm.

"Items for sale will include works by a number of well-known Welsh artists, including Martin Dallymore Jones, Robert Alwyn Hughes, Mel Burgum, Susan Cunningham, Chris Griffin, Gary Waters and Maz Winstanley.

"There will also be a number of oil paintings by self-taught painter, John Pannell, who lives in Rugby. Most of John’s paintings are of a particular place that he has visited, many of them in Wales, and are unique, with no prints or copies having been made."

He added: "In addition to the prints and paintings on open sale there will also be a ‘silent auction’ of work by Anuerin Jones and Shirley Ann Owen.

"Anuerin Jones and his son Meirion were two of the last artists to hold an exhibition in the Washington Gallery attracting visitors from Liverpool and Oxford as well as many collectors of their work in Wales.

"Anuerin has generously donated a rare framed print of a painting of ‘Carreg Cennen’ and it is hoped that another exhibition of work by this father and son combination will be held in the Pier Pavilion in 2015.

"Shirley Ann Owen is, of course, a resident of Penarth and has been a long-time supporter of Penarth Arts and Crafts. Shirley has kindly donated a framed print of a drawing of the Pavilion, together with two additional unframed copies. It is unlikely that any further prints will be made and there will therefore be great interest in these items."

The ‘silent auction’ will also include an additional unusual item.

Sir Paul Williams, a former High Sheriff of South Glamorgan and a regular visitor to Penarth with his wife, Lady Glenys Williams, has kindly donated a unique, cream leather office chair signed, in 2005, by members of Liverpool and Everton football clubs to mark the ‘International Day of People with Disability’.

Amongst the signatures is that of Wayne Rooney, then an Everton player.

In donating the Chair Sir Paul said: “We visit Penarth Pier most Sundays and have been delighted to watch the transformation of the semi-derelict Pier Pavilion into this wonderful new facility for the people of Penarth and beyond. The charity responsible for this transformation, Penarth Arts and Crafts, does some wonderful work with children and young people with various disabilities and I hope that the auction of this chair will help this work to continue."

A full list of the items on sale, including prices which range from £35 to £260, can be found on the Pavilion’s web site.

All proceeds from the sale will go towards supporting the charitable work undertaken at the Pier Pavilion.

The art sale will be held from 10am to 4pm on Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12.