A PRICELESS picture of a Brierley Hill war hero that went missing from the town's library has been re-created thanks to modern technology in time to mark the 100th anniversary of the tragic soldier's death.

The oil painting, depicting tragic Brockmoor WWI soldier Sergeant William Jordan rescuing an injured comrade in May 1915, hung in Brierley Hill's old free library in Moor Street for many years.

But in September 2013 - the image, by award-winning artist Francis Gibbons, was found to have vanished from the maps cabinet at Brierley Hill Library, where it was being stored, and it hasn't been seen since.

However - after being contacted by Sgt Jordan's great nephew Brierley Hill Civic Society decided to recreate the picture from a photograph taken on an iPhone as part of a Great War research project shortly before it disappeared and the image is to be re-presented to the town at a poignant ceremony.

Civic society chairman Tim Sunter said: "It was a tragedy when it was lost by the library but at least now we can see it returned to the town.

"We have been fortunate in getting two sponsors to help. Mike Allen of Italica, in Wombourne, printed the photograph and Jessica and Sylvain Savary of Framed For You in Brettell Lane are mounting and framing it for us.

"Mike has a long association with the town and went to college in Moor Street in the very building where the painting had been displayed."

The image will be re-presented to the town next Monday (September 21) - just four days shy of the 100th anniversary of Sgt Jordan's death.

Mr Sunter added: "The event will take place at St Michael’s Church which already has a war memorial and roll of honour of local soldiers from the Great War. It is also just 100 metres from where the picture was originally displayed at the old library in Moor Street. Rev David Hoskin has agreed the picture can be on permanent display at the church."

The presentation will be attended by the brave soldier's great nephew Paul Jordan who will describe the events depicted in the picture in Sgt Jordan's own words - which were discovered in an old newspaper article.

Mr Jordan, a retired headteacher, said he's "immensely proud" of his great uncle's heroics and added: "He was an ordinary man from Brockmoor who carried out an extraordinary act of bravery in dreadful conditions in the trenches."

Sgt Jordan, who lived in Campbell Street, served with the South Staffordshire Regiment and was promoted for distinguished conduct in the field and mentioned by Sir John French in his final dispatch before relinquishing his office of Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force in 1915.

But he was later killed in action, aged 40, in France on September 25, 1915, on the opening day of the Battle of Loos.

Nearly two years afterwards, in July 1917, Wordsley artist Francis Gibbons donated his painting honouring Sgt Jordan's battlefield heroics to Brierley Hill Council and it was decided it would be displayed in the old library.

Brierley Hill councillor Rachel Harris said she found it "incomprehensible" that the painting had gone missing, after the News highlighted its disappearance last November.

She said she hoped it might turn up but Dudley Council bosses said it appeared the picture may have been stolen.

Everyone is welcome to attend the re-presentation event at St Michael's Church, which will start at 6.15pm.