For the first time artwork or images of artwork by five members of the family, whose roots lay in the upper Calder Valley village of Lumbutts, have been brought together from various collections and with a very modern skill - digital photography.

In the case of sculptor Gilbert Bayes this was the practical solution to showcasing his work, which can be found all over the world from a Maharajah's palace to Centre Vale Park in Todmorden.

The exhibition, which is being staged by the Bayes Exhibition Committee with backing from Calderdale Council and Todmorden Rotary Club at Todmorden Community College, Burnley Road, Todmorden, gathers well over a hundred pieces of art.

It is open today (Thursday, May 15), tomorrow, Friday, May 16, and from Monday, May 19, to Thursday, May 22 (10 am to 4 pm each day). It is hoped the exhibition will also be on show at Todmorden Library for a further period of time in June.

It is a labour of love for the committee, especially Jack Taylor, who has helped stage some memorable exhibitions over the years with this possibly his last large-scale one.

At a special preview last Friday, attended by ten members of the Bayes family, he opened proceedings by recalling he first had the idea for an exhibition of Bayes work 20 years ago. He soon realised it would take a seven-strong committee rather than the original two of himself and Douglas Wilson to bring it to fruition

"The work has realised an exhibition of which I personally feel immensely proud and focused on a family initially from Todmorden who are world beaters," he said.

The further Jack and the committee looked into the family 's history the more they realised they were dealing with immense talent and he explained that in his view the Bayes's achievements rank them firmly alongside the town's most famous citizens, who include John Fielden MP, who piloted the Ten Hours Act through Parliament, and Nobel prizewinners Sir John Cockcroft and Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson.

They produced work that is internationally known, said Jack, who illustrated this with a story. "Someone here today was once staying with the Maharajah of Jaipur and in his courtyard there was a statue. Who was it by? Gilbert Bayes," he said.

"We decided this exhibition should show how famous they were and show the wide range of work they did. We have tried to get every bit of information about the Bayes family so people will realise that this wonderful family emanated from a boy living on hills at Lumbutts," he said.

Calderdale Council's Mr Richard Macfarlane said Renaissance Yorkshire funds had enabled them to support the exhibition and it was clear the Bayes family were one of which Todmorden could be rightly proud.

Rotary club president Mr Paul Hughes said that many townspeople although aware of the name did not know much about the family but this exhibition could change that.