Talented artists at a north Suffolk school hoped they had raised hundreds of pounds for charity last night thanks to a special auction of their work.

Staff and students at Hartismere School, in Eye, hosted the event in an effort to raise funds for Diabetes UK, Alzheimer's Research UK and Redwings Horse Sanctuary, which is based in Hapton, near Long Stratton.

Fifty lots of original art from the school's A-level students were up for grabs in a wide range of visual media, including paint, textile, photography, ceramics, glass, and jewellery.

Among the unique sale were also pieces by ceramicists Usch Spettique and John Chipperfield, as well as photographic artist and teacher Mariah Skellorn.

'This is a chance to celebrate the students' work and give them a platform to sell their work and give them aspirations,' she said.

'When we put their work on display we often get requests from people asking whether this item is for sale or whether they can buy this.

'I think a lot of it is of a very high standard. I would go as far to say that some of the A-level work is of a degree standard.'

The charity's benefiting from the auction were chosen by the students as part of an on-going initiative to support 100 different organisations locally, nationally and internationally.