Ron Broomfield's 1,800 gnomes auctioned for charity

The bearded bundle was bought for more than £1,500

More than 1,800 gnomes collected over half a century by one man have been auctioned to raise money for charity.

Ron Broomfield, from Lincolnshire, died in April aged 80 and was cremated in the gnome outfit he regularly sported.

The retired window cleaner with the small hobby raised huge amounts for charities including the NSPCC.

The collection, which began after the breakdown of his marriage, raised over £1,500, which is being donated to Alford First Responders.

Speaking at the event, Mr Broomfield's niece Patricia Hammond said: "I think anyone who collects gnomes would want one of Ron's.

"It's a very sad day for us - but Ron wanted the gnomes to go to homes where people would enjoy them."

Mr Broomfield's world record ambition was scuppered by his Devonian rival

Mr Broomfield, who appeared on various TV programmes including the Alan Titchmarsh Show, lived in Gnome Cottage, Alford.

He was originally from Finchley in north London, and began collecting the figures after splitting from his wife.

Ms Hammond said: "It stems from when he was unhappy - he saw a gnome smiling at him in a shop window and that was it.

"It just cheered him up."

Mr Broomfield later moved to Alford where his home became a shrine to the ornaments.

His favourite gnome, Sandy, which he took everywhere, was adopted by his niece.

The gnomeman of Alford regularly donned the outfit favoured by his tiny pals

Gnome Cottage was home to a startling array of miniature misfits

Ms Hammond added his greatest ambition was for his collection to feature in the Guinness Book of World Records.

However, he was beaten by Ann Atkin of The Gnome Reserve and Wild Flower Garden in North Devon.

The Gnome Reserve is home to about 2,000 of the tiny tittersome terracotta trinkets.