Parishioners are on the edge of their pews waiting to hear whether a painting found in the bell tower of their church is a valuable Goya.

The painting has been languishing in the bell tower of St Mary Magdalene Church in Magdalen Street, Oxford, for years.

The artwork, which shows Christ on the cross, was undisturbed until workmen cleared out the tower to remove some church bells that are to be re-cast.

They laid it against a wall, thinking it was a worthless piece of rubbish but a member of the congregation, John Isitt, of Jericho Street, who is an artist and a doorkeeper at the church, spotted it and thought it might be a valuable work.

He showed it to an art expert he knows in nearby Jericho who told him he thought it was painted by the famous Spanish artist.

Mr Isitt dusted the painting off and asked the permission of the vicar, Canon Hugh Wybrew, to have the work restored professionally. He took the work, which measures about four feet by two and a half feet, to Andrew Walker at the High Street Framing Workshop in The Turl, Oxford, where it is currently being cleaned up.

Crunch time will come next week when Mr Isitt takes it to the Ashmolean Museum to be examined by a professional art expert, who will decide whether Goya painted the work or not.

Even if it is not painted by the Spanish master, Mr Isitt thinks it will still fetch a few thousand pounds for the church, if the vicar and the church warden decide to sell it.

Mr Isitt said: "It was a bit of serendipity. "Nobody can remember seeing it hanging in the church I just saw it lying about. The workmen must have thought it was rubbish.

"It needs a good clean. I thought it was an early Victorian work. There is no signature on it and it is impossible to identify it. I might put in an offer to buy it myself as a souvenir because I have been a parishioner here for many years."

Canon Hugh Wybrew said: "I would love to be able to tell you that it is a Goya.

"But until I hear the result of the expert's view, there is nothing to be said.

"I am not an art expert at all.

"When we have heard the verdict of the experts I will have to discuss with my church wardens what we want to do.

"I was not thrilled when I saw it. It is covered in dust and the frame is in a battered state."