An oil painting of a nude woman went back on show today - more than 60 years after it was banned for being 'too brazen'.

The portrait of a naked woman smoking was bought by a public gallery in 1947 which proudly displayed it for all to see.

More than 20,000 people queued up to see it - until it caused an row with church elders.

Brazen: The painting by Sir Gerald Kelly of a nude woman smoking has gone back on show - more than 60 years after it was banned

Embarrassed council chiefs in Newport, South Wales, decided the painting was scandalising their town and ordered it to be taken down.

The picture which became known as the 'Newport Nude' has been locked up in a vault gathering dust - until now.

It has gone back on show at an exhibition in Newport called The Art of the Nude where it is still the talking point among 90 other pictures and sculptures.

But now more people are complaining about the fact that she is smoking in public rather than her nudity.

Robin Hawkins, the gallery's curator of art and design, said: 'World War II had just ended when the picture first went on display in Newport.

'It caused quite a controversy and that increased the interest - thousands came to see it.'

One of the gallery visitors told a local bishop she had seen a schoolgirl sniggering at the nude.

Dorian Herbert, the Bishop of Caerleon, Newport, went to see the picture for himself and blasted it as 'brazen, abandoned and vulgar.'

Mr Hawkins added: 'We would consider it none of those things these days but she does come across as a confident young woman of her time.

'The way she looks out from the canvas and the pose is a very bold one all created a lot of fuss and attention back in 1947.'

The nude - titled D.D after the initials of the model - was painted by Sir Gerald Kelly who painted the Royal family of the day and later became president of the Royal Academy.

It was bought by Newport's Museum and Art Gallery for £250 after it was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1947.

But the painting has proved to be a good investment for Newport - its current value is thought to be around £30,000.

Visitors to the gallery were today unflustered by the brazen nude - but were more offended because she is smoking.

Office worker Elizabeth Ayres, 38, of Newport, said: 'She's a bit of a Fag Ash Lil but I can't imagine why the painting would be banned.

'Maybe it's because of the way she is staring - women in those days weren't allowed to be that brassy.'