A COLLECTOR sold a walking stick he bought in a charity shop for £2 on TV for £275... and is donating more than half of the cash back to the charity.

Anthony Cutting purchased the Japanese walking stick eight-years-ago in a St Helena Hospice charity shop.

An antiques and collectible expert, the 48-year-old knew the walking stick was valuable, and so took it with him on new BBC show The Bidding Room.

The stick caught the eye of all five dealers and sparked a bidding war, with Ian Humphries paying a whopping £275 for the item.

And after selling the stick, Anthony has decided to donate £150 back to St Helena Hospice.

Anthony said: "I’ve had the stick for eight years, and I do love it, but I only have room for so much stuff, and I knew it was of some value so thought it would be a good item to take on the show.

“I was hoping to sell it for a couple of hundred and was delighted to get £275.

Anthony is a collector of a variety of items, having started at the age of six with cigarette cards after being inspired by his grandfather.

The Bidding Room isn’t his first television appearance and he has also taken items on Flog It and Dickinson’s Real Deal before.

Anthony, who lives in Dovercourt, said: “I was contacted by one of the valuers I met previously to ask if I had any items that would be suitable to bring on their new show, the Bidding Room.

“I fully appreciate what the hospice does. You can’t go through life taking all the time, you have to give a bit back. There has to be a balance and I fulfil my balance by doing a good deed.”

Rachel Joy, St Helena Hospice’s community fundraiser, added: “We would like to say a big thank you to Anthony for choosing to kindly donate £150 back to the hospice from the sale of his stick.

“We are so grateful for his support, especially now when we’re suffering a devastating loss of income because of the coronavirus.

"This amazing amount could pay for ten visits to a patient in the last days of life from our healthcare assistants through our Virtual Ward, providing compassionate care and support in a patient’s own home.”

To find out how you can support St Helena Hospice, visit sthelena.org.uk.