AMBER necklaces and a Victorian silver tea set helped hit the £10,000 mark at a charity auction.

These coveted items, among 330 high quality lots, saw enthusiastic bidding from a packed floor at East Meon village hall.

Celebrity auctioneer Jonathan Pratt, who lives at Steep near Petersfield, was at the helm for the event which attracted several hundred people, residents and dealers alike.

“He was absolutely brilliant, and he was why we did so well.

“He had to work terribly hard, as people were sitting on their hands a bit,” said one of the organisers Hazel Rendle.

The three amber necklaces, which went for £700, were donated by Hazel who used to wear them during the 1970s and 80s.

She didn’t want them any more but they caused a ripple of excitement among the dealers.

She also put in a Edwardian chair, given to her by her daughter, which made £200.

The four-piece tea set, donated by another member of the committee, Gilli Williams, went under the hammer for £500.

Being quite ornate, It wasn’t Hazel’s cup of tea, but people were keen to bid because of its terrific weight in silver.

Proceeds from the auction are being split between two charities – The Rosemary Foundation and All Saints Church, East Meon.

Other antique, retro and collectable items included ceramics, glass, rugs, toys, paintings and small pieces of furniture.

Many of the lots were donated by people associated with The Rosemary Foundation, all gratefully received by the organisers.

Jonathan, one of the regular experts on TV’s popular Bargain Hunt, is managing director of Bellmans Auctioneers at Wisborough Green, West Sussex.