A man was reunited yesterday with a portrait of himself as a boy which is to go under the hammer valued at £40,000.

The portrait of Andrew Samson, painted when he was 13 years old, was owned by the late authoress, Lady Naomi Mitchison.

Mr Samson, 58, who was brought up in Glasgow, had a picture of him as a boy painted by city artist Joan Eardley.

Eardley, who died in 1963, found much of her subject matter on the streets of Glasgow and was particularly fond of the Samson family, whose eight children she painted regularly.

The portrait is among the contents of Carradale House, in Argyll, which are being sold off following the death of Lady Mitchison last year, aged 101.

It will go under the hammer on Friday in fine art auctioneer Lyon and Turnbull's saleroom in Edinburgh.

Mr Samson recalled being given one shilling and six pence, and as many cheese sandwiches he could eat, in return for sitting for Eardley.

Mr Samson, who now lives in Barnard Castle, in County Durham, said yesterday: "I won't be bidding for it because I can't afford to.

"When I was 13 I never thought that my portrait would be worth so much."

Mr Samson was able to have another look at his portrait before it was sold after his mother Jean spotted a newspaper advert placed by Lyon and Turnbull saying they were looking for him.

Nick Curnow, director of Lyon and Turnbull, said: "We are thrilled that we have been able to reunite the picture with Mr Samson, it is not every day that you can see such a fine portrait of yourself, which is valued so highly throughout the art world.

"Eardley painted a unique snapshot of life in Glasgow and it has been fascinating hearing the memories of Mr Samson of that time."