A regional daily succeeded in securing an exclusive interview with a forger who conned people around the world with “works of art” made in his garden shed.

Shaun Greenhalgh, from Bolton, made a 20-inch statue called the Amarna Princess, said to be 3,300 years old, which his pensioner father George conned Bolton Council into buying for £440,000. It was subsequently valued at £1m.

The Greenhalgh family, who recently featured in a BBC docu-drama, have never spoken to the media, but Bolton News crime reporter Paul Keaveny secured an interview with him after writing to him in prison.

Greenhalgh, who is serving four years for conspiracy to defraud and money laundering, wrote back saying he did not want to discuss the issue – but Paul sent him another letter and this time he replied.

The letter, in which Greenhalgh criticised the BBC for the character assassination of his family in the programme and expressed regret over duping the local council, made a splash and a two page spread.

It was followed by another splash revealing that the local council was asking the Metropolitan Police, who seized the statue, if it could be loaned to the town to go back on display in the museum.

Editor-in-chief Ian Savage said: “This proves that persistence does pay. Shaun Greenhalgh had never spoken to anyone about the case and Paul’s polite letter persuaded him to talk.”