A collection of Beatrix Potter figurines sparked a bidding war on the online auction site eBay – and raised nearly £1,000 in vital funds for Rennie Grove Hospice Care.
The 35 collectables were spotted by a sharp-eyed volunteer at the charity’s shop in Princes Risborough.
Director of retail Lesley Blencowe said: “Our shop managers and their teams keep an eye out for donated items that might have a higher value if sold on eBay rather than our charity shops.”
All the figures – a mixture of Beswick, Royal Doulton and Royal Albert – had a starting value of either £3.99 or £4.99, but prices quickly began to soar as collectors battled it out online.
One figurine fetched £72.74 after 14 bids over seven days, and the final total for the entire collection came in at £921.78 – enough to fund nearly 50 hours of specialist nursing in patients’ homes.