THE spear which may have killed legendary explorer Captain Cook raised £135,000 at auction today despite original estimates that it would raise just £2,000.

Edinburgh auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull sold the weapon, which has been fashioned into a walking stick, to an anonymous private buyer from London.

A request that the new owner exhibit the spear at the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum in Marton, Middlesbrough will be passed on to her.

Dr Ashok Kumar, Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, has sent a letter to the auction house making the request.

The stick has been handed down through the family of one of Cook's fellow naval officers and has been fashioned into a walking stick. It bears the inscription "From Adml. CBH Ross to Admiral Sir David Milne, GCB. Made of the spear that killed Captn.Cook R.N."

Original estimates put the value of the spear at about £2,000 but by the time of the auction the reserve price was between £12,000 and £18,000. The bidding started at £20,000.

A spokesman for Lyon and Turnbull said: "This figure was way above our expectations and the family of Admiral Milne are very happy. There were two buyers who were very interested and it sometimes happens the price just keeps on rising. I can tell you the new owner is a woman from London and is herself a great traveller."

Dr Kumar was hopeful the spear could be shown at the Captain Cook Museum. He said: "I hope very much that this request would be considered seriously and I would be prepared to help set up a meeting between the buyer and the museum if that helped facilitate it being placed on display here in Middlesbrough."

A spokesman for the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum, which has two clubs reputed to be involved in the killing of Cook, said the museum would be delighted to exhibit the spear.

Cook was born in Marton on October 20, 1728 and was the son of a farm labourer. He was killed by natives on Hawaii on February 14, 1779.

During a previous stay on the island natives had viewed Cook as a god but it is believed they turned against him on his second visit after he accused them of stealing. A thousand strong mob stabbed and clubbed him to death.