An artist had his paintings - including one which depicted Bradford riots - taken down from a charity exhibition because of complaints they were racist.

Organisers of the exhibition in a parish hall near Burnley, which suffered riots along with Bradford in 2001, said the other pictures in the exhibition were "chocolate box" pretty and the satirical paintings of riots were not suitable.

But Bradford-born Geoffrey Whitehead, 70, who lived in Great Horton until six years ago, claims his freedom of expression has been taken away.

Police were called to the exhibition at Kelbrook Parish Hall, in a small village near Barnoldswick, where Mr Whitehead now lives with his wife Veronica.

Officers decided that the pictures were not offensive, but a parish hall committee insisted that four of Mr Whitehead's artwork were removed.

They were: a painting of John Major in bed with Edwina Currie, with images relating to rioting in Bradford, including an Asian man throwing a bottle and a blindfolded judge; a portrait of Prime Minister Tony Blair entitled Master of the Hounds; a painting of Tony Blair, Jack Straw and David Blunkett called The Three Fiddlers; and a self-portrait entitled The Candidate.

Mr Whitehead, who worked for West Riding Painting Contractors in Vaughan Street, Bradford, for 20 years, took up political painting several years ago.

He said he moved out of Bradford because he wanted to be "in a safer place".

"The first painting is a general comment on the state of play in Bradford," he said. "I am very disappointed at their decision but it won't put me off painting.

"My uncle died in the First World War and my dad was gassed fighting for people's freedom. Now you can't say or do anything without it being frowned upon."

A committee spokesman said: "It was a private exhibition to raise money for Cancer Research UK. We received a complaint and the police received several anonymous complaints about the nature of the material."