WORK by one of the region's most celebrated artists has been sold at auction.

The paintings by Norman Cornish, the last surviving artist of the famous Pitman’s Academy at The Spennymoor Settlement, were sold by Anderson and Garland Auctioneers, in Newcastle.

The work formed part of a collection which belonged to writer Sid Chaplin and his wife Rene, of Shildon, near Bishop Auckland

Mr Chaplin died in 1986 and his wife passed away last year.

John Anderson, head of pictures at Anderson and Garland Auctioneers, said: “The Chaplin family had lots of pictures which they had collected through knowing the North-East painters.

“Rene and Sid lived in Kimberley Gardens, in Newcastle, and after their parents died the Chaplin family decided to sell the house.

“The family kept some of the work and they sold the rest of it at the sale. There is an enormous amount of nostalgic interest in the Pitman Painters.

“Undoubtedly Norman Cornish is one of the most well known of the pitman painters.”

It is not known how much was raised at the auction.