AN oil painting of a 1920s Codford St Mary society beauty is expected to fetch around £1m when it is auctioned at Christie's in London at the end of next week.

The picture, titled Miss Ruth Brady On Bugle Call, is by one of Britain's most outstanding - and eccentric - 20th Century artists, Sir Alfred Munnings, who is acknowledged as one of the greatest horse painters.

Munnings was in his mid 40s when he painted the picture of American heiress Miss Brady on her horse, during a six-month visit to the United States in 1924.

Four years later, Ruth Brady married into the English aristocracy when she wed dashing 28-year-old Michael Scott, younger son of the third Earl of Eldon and uncle of the present fifth earl.

After their wedding, Mr and Mrs Scott moved to England and first settled in Gloucestershire before moving to Stockton House at Codford.

But after only nine years of marriage Michael Scott died in bizarre circumstances at the age of 37. He was in a boat off Palm Beach, Florida, and had just spent a gruelling 30 minutes trying to land a sail fish when he collapsed and died.

Following his death, his widow Ruth, who was just 27, quit Wiltshire and returned home to America.

The Scotts had three children, two sons who are now both dead and Sheila, who was born in 1932. But Christie's are not saying whether it is Sheila or her family who are now selling the picture. They merely confirm that the painting is from a private American collection and that it was passed to the present owner by Ruth Brady. Christie's describe the painting of Ruth Brady as "a masterpiece of understated elegance." It will go under the hammer on Friday May 20.