Ambergris found on Anglesey beach sells for £11,000

Ambergris found by a dog walker on an Anglesey beach has sold at auction for £11,000.

The 1.1kg (2.4lb) chunk of whale vomit, known as ambergris and used mainly in perfume, sold to a phone bidder in France on Friday - exceeding the estimated price of up to £7,000.

Auctioneer Adam Partridge said he was "elated" at the sale, in Macclesfield.

"Somebody brought this smelly waxy rugby ball-shaped lump to us and asked us to sell it for them," he added.

"There are many things which can be mistaken for ambergris - fat, rubber and palm oil amongst others - but after doing some research and consulting the authorities on such things, we found out that what we had was indeed very valuable.

"We've had lots of unusual items pass through the doors over the years, but this is by far the weirdest."