Porn

A collection of photos at the centre of a police child porn investigation has been removed from show.
A photograph called Klara and Edda belly-dancing by Nan Goldin, was seized from Gateshead's Baltic Arts Centre by police last week.

The rest of the 148 photos, owned by Sir Elton John, went on display.

But on Monday the singer asked for the "Thanksgiving" exhibition to be removed nine days after they went on show. The Baltic said it supported the request.

The exhibition had been due to run until 20 January.

A Baltic spokesman said: "Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, at the request of the Sir Elton John Photography Collection, has closed the exhibition.

"After the removal of one image from the series it was no longer possible for Baltic to exhibit the collection of works as the artist intended.

Without objections

"Therefore Baltic is sympathetic to Sir Elton John's request and supportive of the decision."

The seized photo, of two naked girls, is still being examined by Northumbria Police to see if it breaches pornography legislation.

Management at the flagship centre called in police after becoming concerned about the photo before the exhibition opened.

A spokesman for Northumbria Police said at the time: "This item is being assessed and Northumbria Police in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service is investigating the circumstances surrounding it."

A spokesman for Sir Elton had said the photograph had been exhibited around the world without objections.