THE widow of a well-known painter is donating part of his legacy to help orphaned children.

April Lee will auction off a rare watercolour by late husband John in aid of the Red Cross.

The event will be a silent auction and bids can be made at the Red Cross charity shop in St Mary Street, Weymouth, until December 21. Mrs Lee said she will also match the highest bid as a donation to the charity.

The couple were married for more than 60 years and, throughout his life, Mr Lee’s paintings raised thousands of pounds for charity.

He was RNLI lifeboat artist for more than 20 years and painted rescue scenes from memory.

Mrs Lee said she now wanted to do something to help orphans in Syria after seeing news reports.

She added: “My husband was very well-known in Weymouth and beyond for his paintings and I’m hoping there will be some interest in this to raise money. The painting is a slightly modern version of Weymouth seafront in brilliant colours – blue, green and a little bit of yellow. It is a watercolour, and he did not paint many of those. He usually painted in oils.”

Mrs Lee said she had donated paintings before in aid of Julia’s House, but now wanted to do something to help youngsters in war-torn Syria.

She said: “I keep seeing it on the news and getting very distressed about it. I feel that children in England have quite a bit done for them, but there isn’t enough being done for children in Syria. They have nothing.”

Mr and Mrs Lee lived in Weymouth all their married life. Mr Lee was born in Essex but fell in love with Weymouth on a holiday in Osmington aged 18 and relocated after marrying.

The couple ran a small hotel in Brunswick Terrace for 24 years before retiring to Wyke Regis where Mr Lee could spend more time on his paintings.

It was a chance meeting with Bill Macey, who later became a good friend, in the foyer of the Crown Hotel, that led to Mr Lee painting for the lifeboat, Mrs Lee said.

His paintings of real-life rescues were awarded at presentations across the country.

Mrs Lee said: “I have a house full of his work that I just wouldn’t part with. He could paint anything he wanted, but it was always boats and the sea that were his favourites.”