A CELEBRITY auction has raised more than £53,000 for East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH) so far.
The auction includes a controversial script from the only episode of Hi-de-Hi! to ever receive complaints for bad language.
Manningtree actor David Webb, who starred in the 80's sitcom filmed in Dovercourt, donated the script into the auction.
Bidding for it currently stands at £160.
The online auction, named Celebrity Bottom Drawer, has been organised by Griff Rhys Jones, who lives across the border from David in Suffolk.
Bidding - Cate Blanchett’s deluxe box of Carol film goodies
It launched on Friday, November 27 and ends at 10pm on Sunday, December 6.
Items from Dawn French, racehorse Enable, Cate Blanchett, Ed Sheeran, Delia Smith, Paul McCartney, Ricky Gervais and Coldplay have astonishingly raised more than £53,000 for EACH.
The timing could not be better for EACH, having just forecasted a loss of £2.2million in funding over the next 12 months - a third of the total it needs to support families across the region.
Griff said: “What we’ll give is a tiny thing for a huge and vital service. I’ve met parents and children at the Treehouse (EACH’s hospice in Ipswich).
"I’ve never been so overwhelmed.
"It’s a place that buys precious time for people who really need it.
"Don’t be afraid. A hospice is not about death. It is about making the very most out of life and joy. If we can all get behind this auction, we can really help.”
Auction - Dawn French's Rolex watch
As of Wednesday morning, the best-performing lots were:
- Headcollar worn by Enable, signed by John Gosden and EACH Ambassador Frankie Dettori - £4,800
- Dawn French’s Datejust Rolex - £4,200
- Bronze bust of Mel Smith, from the estate of Mel Smith - £4,000
- Cate Blanchett’s deluxe box of ‘Carol’ film goodies - £2,000
- Daniel Laurie’s PlayStation 5 - £1,525
Items can be viewed now on celebritybottomdrawer.auction.
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