Great North Snowdogs raise £259,000 for hospice

The auction was held at the Sage Gateshead

Dozens of sculptures based on a character from the animated film The Snowman and the Snowdog have sold for almost £260,000 at auction.

A total of 64 snowdogs, each with a unique design, were created earlier this year and displayed on a public art trail across Tyne and Wear.

The trail closed last month and the sculptures have been sold at the Sage Gateshead.

The £259,200 raised will go to St Oswald's Hospice in Newcastle.

Disco Snowdog fetched £9,200

The highest price was paid for a dog known as Disco Dog, designed by mosaic artist Natalie Guy, which went for £9,200.

The first lot of the event, Arthur, was bought for £5,200.

The snowdogs were designed and decorated by a number of different artists

Standing 1.5m tall (4ft 9ins), the colourful sculptures included several with North East-related designs, including two in the colours of Newcastle United and Sunderland football teams which made up the final lots.

Four smaller previously unseen pups were also sold off.