A WATERCOLOUR painting by Prince Charles has been withdrawn from a charity auction after a pink squirrel by former Beatles star Sir Paul McCartney proved more popular.

The prince was left red-faced when the squirrel drawing by Sir Paul fetched £4,000.

The Royal watercolour of Wadi Akram was expected to sell for at least £3,000 at the online auction, but it was withdrawn when bidding stalled at £1,200.

Bosses at Northumbria Wildlife Trust, one of the auction organisers, were baffled when the Prince's print failed to sell.

Chief executive Alan Cole said: "We are very disappointed by how badly the painting did at auction. It was up for a week but there wasn't much interest."

The trust is raising money to protect red squirrels and asked celebrities to "scribble a squirrel" for the auction.

But Buckingham Palace donated a limited edition print of of the Saudi Arabian scene instead.