Records smashed at Staithes RNLI charity auction

More than £4,600 was pledged as TV antiques expert Caroline Hawley knocked down 70 lots, beating the previous record by just over £2,000.

Ms Hawley, a regular presenter on BBC TV’s Flog It and Bargain Hunt programmes, said she was thrilled by the response: 'This is the third time I’ve come to Staithes to support the RNLI and this was the best yet, a brilliant night.'

Some frenzied bidding in the Cod and Lobster harbourside pub at Staithes saw a guided underground tour of the Cleveland Potash mine just outside Staithes finally knocked down for £740. A trip down river and up the coast on the Harbourmaster’s launch of the Tees pilots went for £420. An 1834 antique map of Yorkshire, donated by Caroline Hawley herself, rounded off the night with a winning bid of £280.

Organiser Stuart Purdie said: 'I can’t quite believe it. We were secretly hoping to hit the £3,000 mark but this exceeds our wildest dreams. Enormous thanks to all the individuals and organisations who gave such attractive and generous lots and especially to Caroline who makes it such a magic event.'

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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