Watford's mayor has joked that he will not speak to New York's mayor until the Cassiobury House staircase is returned amid the UK-Greece Elgin Marbles row.

Peter Taylor published a tongue-in-cheek post on X, formerly Twitter, after the spat over the Ancient Greek sculptures resurfaced this week.

He wrote: “I will not be talking to the Mayor of New York until the Cassiobury House staircase is returned to Watford. #elginmarbles."

Watford Observer: Cassiobury House staircaseCassiobury House staircase

The grand staircase at Cassiobury House was put into the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1927.

Tensions have risen again in recent days after Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated that he wanted the Elgin Marbles, which have been in the British Museum since 1816, returned to Athens. 

The Greek government have been demanding their return ever since becoming independent in 1835. 

The Cassiobury staircase is located in New York and was moved there when the house was demolished.

It is dated between 1677-80 and is attributed to Edward Pearce, according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art website.

The house, which was located in Cassiobury Park, was opened in 1556 and was bought by Sir Richard Morison from Henry VIII after the dissolution of the monasteries.

It was passed to the Capel family and became the seat of the Earl of Essex.