Cilla Black's designer outfits in charity auction

Cilla Black's family decided to donate her clothes to mark the 10th anniversary of the singer and tv presenter's death

Designer clothes worn by Cilla Black during her long showbusiness career will be auctioned for charity later this month.

The collection includes bespoke gowns, high-end fashion pieces and vintage Biba creations worn by the Surprise Surprise presenter, who died in 2015.

The collection will go under the hammer on 28 November in aid of Variety, the children's charity which supports disadvantaged and disabled youngsters across the UK.

"The clothes and outfits presented in this collection represent a life well lived on the stage and in front of the TV cameras," said her son Robert Willis. "It's fair to say that almost every item in this collection was either worn on stage or appeared on TV."

Cilla Black's hit songs included You're My World, Anyone Who Had A Heart, and Liverpool Lullaby

Mr Willis said his family decided to donate the collection to mark the 10th anniversary of his mother's death at the age of 72.

"Variety does so many good works and [was a charity] which our mother happily supported during her lifetime," he explained.

The collection's highlights include a silver leather jacket by Alexander McQueen, a gold Yves Saint Laurent ensemble, cream Celine and Donna Karan jackets, and a beautifully preserved Loewe suede skirt suit - one of the most sought-after vintage pieces of its kind.

"We sincerely hope that making her collection available to the public will enable them to have something of Cilla's that played a role in her career and to ultimately benefit disabled and disadvantaged children," added Mr Willis.

The children's charity Variety will benefit from the auction later this month

Laurence Guinness, chief executive of Variety, said the auction could help provide disabled and disadvantaged children with the basic equipment they need to live a full life.

"The glamour of the Cilla Black collection auction is matched by the life-transforming impact it will have," he said.

"Each winning bid could provide a child with a vital wheelchair, a specialist bed, or the means to communicate, offering a vulnerable child a future filled with opportunity.

"Cilla was a great supporter of Variety, and this is a chance to continue her legacy of generosity at a time when it's needed more than ever."

The three-hour online auction will be hosted by Nesbits Auctions Ltd on 28 November from 13:00 GMT.