TIM Farron MP joined TV personality Jonathan Ross to run an auction of original comic art - raising over £15,000 for the Kendal-based Lakes International Comic Art Festival.

The auction, which took place on Tuesday evening at Orbital Comics in London, saw bidding rise rapidly as the public sought to get their hands on original comic art works.

Many of the world’s greatest comic artists generously donated pieces of artwork, with items ranging from brief doodles by great masters to the original sketches behind cover images that have sold in their thousands all over the world.

The auction featured works by the likes of Ian Churchill, Hunt Emerson, Dave Gibbons, Jamie Hewlett, Sean Phillips, Bryan Talbot, the team from VIZ and others.

The highest bid was £3,500 for a piece of work by Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard.

Mr Farron said: "The evening was not only great fun, but also hugely successful. We have managed to raise a significant sum of money which will help to ensure that the Comic Art Festival has the funding it needs to be as fantastic in the future as it has been in the past.

"My sincere thanks go to all those who have kindly donated pieces of artwork, as well as to all those who dug deep on the night to buy the artwork.”