It was the municipal mystery of the missing Matchstick Men and Matchstick Cats and Dogs.

For a few terrifying moments officials in Glasgow's City Chambers thought they had lost an LS Lowry from the office of one of Labour's outgoing chiefs.

However, the painting - a valuable copy rather than a priceless original - had simply been taken down by former deputy leader Archie Graham as he prepared to move out of his sumptuous study to far more modest opposition accommodation.

Relieved officials are understood to have traced the artwork, which was part of the city's multi-billion-pound municipal collection shared with councillors who host dignitaries and members of the public in their offices.

Mr Graham was not available for comment as The Evening Times went to press but there is no suggestion that the veteran councillor, husband of former Labour Scottish leader Johann Lamont, intended to cause the fright.

A council staff source said: "There is a lot of affection among workers for Archie Graham. It seems he took the picture down without thinking about it along with a lot of his own stuff. People have been having a laugh about it.

"Every time there is a change among the senior councillors they get to pick spare art that is not needed for the galleries - we have more art than we could ever show publicly. However, there are no hard and fast rules over how this is done as things have just developed by convention."

Mr Lancashire-based LS Lowry was a giant of industrial art in the early 20th century and inspired the 1978 number one hit Matchstick Men and Matchstick Cats and Dogs by Brian and Michael.

The painting - which has not been identified - has been returned to the council's state-of-the-art storage facility at Nitshill. Its absence was said to have been personally spotted by the council's chief executive, Annemarie O'Donnell.

Curators from Glasgow Life, the quango which manages the art collection and its museums, are supposed to handle all movements of art. The purple-gloved experts are currently carrying out an audit of all art lent to councillors using their "Mimsy" inventory system. Another source suggested the biggest concern within city chambers had been that councillors might try to move art themselves.

Glasgow is undergoing its first change in political administration in 40 years and the first since its current incarnation - as single-tier city council rather than district council or corporation - was set up in 1995. The reshuffle of senior power holders, and the art in their offices, is therefore one of the biggest "removals" in the recent history of the Chambers. Insiders have dismissed speculation that some Labour councillors have been deliberately slow to move out of their rooms. Leader Frank McAveety quit his corner office in favour of Susan Aitken - whose first request was to have a desk installed.

An official council spokeswoman said: “There’s been a number of office moves in the City Chambers this week following the local council elections.

“Furniture and paintings in the offices of senior councillors – used to showcase some of the wonderful artwork of the city to visitors – have now been removed by Glasgow Life curators and are in storage at the Resource Centre.

“The new occupants will be given the opportunity to choose artwork for their offices if required.”