Florence Nightingale hair fetches more than £3,500

A lock of Florence Nightingale's hair has fetched more than £3,500 at auction in North Yorkshire.

The hair, verified to belong to the 19th Century nursing pioneer, was expected to fetch between £2,000 and £3,000.

It was sold alongside her signature on a clipped piece of paper.

Tennants Auctioneers said the items sold in Leyburn had been in the possession of descendants of Nightingale's sister.

Jody Beighton, an auctioneer and valuer, previously described the lock of hair as "quite a rarity".

Harriet Hunter-Smart from Tennants said the lock had been bought by a private UK buyer for £3,606.

Nightingale is seen by many as the founder of modern nursing.

She became known as the "Lady with the Lamp" during the Crimean War.

The conflict broke out in 1853. Britain, France, Turkey and Sardinia joined forces to fight against Russia.

Nightingale was asked to bring together a team of 38 nurses who would go to support soldiers at a military hospital in Turkey.

This was the first time women were allowed to serve in the Army.

Following their arrival, Nightingale quickly set her team the task of cleaning up the hospital and making sure the soldiers were well looked after.

She established the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas' Hospital in London in 1860.

This became the first institute of its kind and deployed nurses across the UK to spread her ideas in the field.

She died in 1910 at the age of 90.

Lock of Florence Nightingale's hair up for auction