A DINGHY that may have inspired late Gourock artist George Wyllie’s famous Paper Boat has been uncovered — in his back garden.

It was hidden under brambles and discovered by his eldest daughter Louise while she was clearing his home.

The discovery was made even more remarkable when a smaller version was found within it — like Russian matryoshka dolls fitted inside each other.

George died two years ago at the age of 90.

A former Customs and Excise officer, he lived in Gourock for more than 50 years.

Louise and her friend Tom Blackmore were in the final stages of clearing out the house and garden when they came upon the boat.

She said she thought a large overgrown area of the garden held an old oil tank, but instead found a box inside.

They opened it and found the boat, marked with the letters ‘QM’, standing for ‘question mark’.

Inside the dinghy, built by George, was a smaller version he had also made.

Louise said: “I didn’t know the dinghy was there, but it’s a real link to the Paper Boat.

“We’re not sure what will happen to the dinghy. It may need some work to be seaworthy, but is generally in good condition.” George, who described himself as a ‘scul?tor’, launched the 80-foot long Paper Boat on the Clyde as a comment on Scotland’s shrinking shipbuilding industry.

It sailed on the Clyde, the Thames and eventually the Hudson river in New York, berthing outside the World Financial Centre in 1990, making front page news in the Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, a collection of George’s unseen work is still running at an exhibition in Greenock’s Beacon Arts Centre. It started at the end of June and continues until Wednesday 16 July.

This first public event held by The George Wyllie Foundation centres on themes found in his art and on why a ‘?’ should be at the centre of everything.

Louise said: “We’re delighted to be putting on this exhibition of work on my father’s home turf.” The Foundation is looking for a permanent base where trustees can store George’s work, and hope it could be close to his former home.

Louise added: “The preferred option of the foundation would be to make its home on the banks of the River Clyde. It inspired my father constantly during the course of a long and creative life.”