Henry Moore’s famous ‘Draped Seated Lady’ sculpture that he gifted to the people of the East End nearly 60 years ago is now modelling again for a new generation of young wannabe artists.

East London Advertiser: Old Flo today... Henry Moore's 'Draped Seated Lady' bronze sculpture now on public display at Canary Wharf. Picture: LBTHOld Flo today... Henry Moore's 'Draped Seated Lady' bronze sculpture now on public display at Canary Wharf. Picture: LBTH (Image: LBTH)

Winners and runners-up of the Old Flo art competition for schoolchildren are to have their work on public display at Canary Wharf's Community Gallery at Canada Place Mall from March 11 for four weeks.

The competition marks Canary Wharf playing host to Henry Moore's historic 8ft bronze sculpture, affectionately known as "Old Flo", which the artist donated when Stepney's Stifford housing estate was opened by the London County Council in 1962.

Ownership went to the new GLC in 1965 until the authority ceased in 1986 and later switched to Tower Hamlets Council which took over the Stifford Estate.

East London Advertiser: Old Flo today... Henry Moore's 'Draped Seated Lady' bronze sculpture now on public display at Canary Wharf. Picture: LBTHOld Flo today... Henry Moore's 'Draped Seated Lady' bronze sculpture now on public display at Canary Wharf. Picture: LBTH (Image: LBTH)

But Old Flo "went missing" when the estate was pulled down in 1997 and didn't turned up until 2012 in a field in Yorkshire, which led to a battle for ownership in the High Court won by Tower Hamlets.

But trouble brews for Old Flo when the council then tried to auction it off for £20m against a public outcry, claiming there was nowhere to put it on secure public display anywhere in the East End.

The day was saved when Canary Wharf Group found a spot for Old Flo and agreed to put the 1.5 tonne bronze sculpture back on public show in 2017.

East London Advertiser: Old Flo today... Henry Moore's 'Draped Seated Lady' bronze sculpture now on public display at Canary Wharf. Picture: LBTHOld Flo today... Henry Moore's 'Draped Seated Lady' bronze sculpture now on public display at Canary Wharf. Picture: LBTH (Image: LBTH)

Now the schools' art competition is raising awareness about Moore's masterpiece to younger generations who weren't even born when he gave it to the people of the East End.