CURATORIAL assistant Lorna Frost does some last minute dusting ahead of York Art Gallery's re-opening today, following an £8 million redevelopment.

The project has involved the creation of a magnificent mezzanine gallery under an original Victorian roof void, which was previously hidden behind a suspended ceiling.

Gallery exhibits include works by Italian Old Masters, modern works by artists such as David Hockney, Paul Nash and Stanley Spencer, installations by contemporary artists and more than 2,000 ceramic works.

But the re-opening has been overshadowed by a furious row over admission charges for York residents, which cannot go ahead without permission from City of York Council, according to an official.