Stanley Matthews tea service auctioned

The tea service fetched more than three times its reserve price

A tea service that belonged to England football legend Sir Stanley Matthews has sold at auction for £4,800 - more than three times its reserve price.

It was given to Matthews by Stoke City following his 44th appearance for England against Belgium in 1946.

Seller Craig Stevens, from Hanley in Stoke-on-Trent, said the price it sold for at the auction in Shrewsbury on Wednesday was a "complete shock".

The tea service was bought by a Premier League football club director.

'New puppy'

Matthews played for Stoke City and Blackpool and won 54 caps for England.

The tea service carried the hallmark Sheffield 1932, as well as the monogram SM and the Stoke City crest.

Antiques collector Mr Stevens said he had bought the tea service at auction in Hanley in 2011 and paid about £1,100.

Stanley Matthews played for Stoke for 19 years

Matthews the magician

• Stanley Matthews played for England between 1934 and 1957. He played in the World Cup in 1950 and 1954

• He played for Stoke City for 19 years, from 1932-47 and from 1961-65, his service being broken by 14 years with Blackpool

• While with the Seasiders, he won the FA Cup in 1953 in what became known as the "Matthews Final"

The Stoke City fan, who collects Matthews memorabilia, said: "We are immensely sad to see it go but we have just got a new puppy and we were worried it would get broken.

"We are going to put the money away for a rainy day."

Mr Stevens, a former Stoke season ticket holder, said his father and grandfather had seen Matthews play.

The service was auctioned by Halls and was filmed by the BBC's antiques series Flog It.

Fine art director Jeremy Lamond said: "We were delighted with the price achieved for the tea service which was a very fitting tribute to Sir Stanley."