A RUG thought to depict a famous cup win by a North-East football club was one of the hidden treasures unearthed at a sporting memorabilia valuation yesterday.

The Axminster rug, featuring Sunderland AFC, is thought to have been commissioned to commemorate the team's victory in the FA Cup final of 1937. Sunderland beat Preston North End 3-1 to bring the cup back to Wearside for the first time.

It caught the eye of sports specialist Colin Palmer when it was brought into Bonhams auctioneers in Newcastle, by a Sunderland man.

"He said he'd found it in his loft and wanted to know what it was," said Mr Palmer. "I have never come across one like it before - it is a little bit of an unknown quantity. It could fetch about £500 at auction."

Merchandise and programmes from the region's clubs can fetch up to ten times more than that of some of their top-flight rivals.

"Memorabilia from North-East teams does sell fairly well, because it is hard to find," he said. "A 1930s match programme from, say, Newcastle United can fetch up to £500, where a similar one from Arsenal or Chelsea will only realise £30. That is simply because of their scarcity - maybe not as many were printed, or people didn't hold on to them. We don't know."

Bonhams holds an auction of sporting memorabilia focusing on football in London, on November 27.

For details, contact Bonhams on 0191-233 9930.