An official inquiry has been started in Italy to determine whether a statue attributed to Michelangelo was really made by him.

The wooden statue of Christ on the Cross was bought by the Italian government for millions of dollars.

The authorities made their move after a number of experts declared that the statue was genuine.

But the statue is at the centre of a long-running dispute, with some experts insisting it is not a Michelangelo.

The row has been raging in Italy's art world for months.