Norwich GoGoHares auction raises more than £400,000

An auction of hare sculptures, which featured in a trail around Norfolk, has raised £409,600 for charity.

They were part of a 68-strong summer GoGoHares sculpture trail celebrating the 50th year of Norfolk charity Break, which helps vulnerable children.

The sculptures were sold at the Forum in Norwich on Thursday night.

Heptahare, which was covered in 50p coins to mark the anniversary, and an undecorated hare were the joint-biggest sellers at £21,000.

Fifty of the hares were sited in Norwich with the rest further afield in places including Fakenham, Cromer, Great Yarmouth and Harleston and The Broads.

There were a further 164 smaller sculptures of leverets (baby hares).

Other big sellers at auction included Professor Hare and his Magic Library, which had stood in Cathedral Close and achieved £14,000 and Mr Cel-HARE-brate Norfolk!, which stood outside Byron Burger at Chapelfield and raised £13,000.

Wonderland Hare, seen in The Mall, raised £11,500, while Harry Potter-inspired Hermione, seen in Davey Place, and Honey Bunny, which had looked out at the River Wensum at Kingfisher House, both raised £11,000.

Break chief executive Hilary Richards said it had been a delight to see so many people enjoying the trail.

"I am astounded by the kind generosity of those successful enough to bid on and purchase their very own GoGoHare," she said.

"Together we really are changing the young lives of so many local people, especially those moving on from care at just 18."

The decorated fibre glass creatures follow in the footsteps of elephants, gorillas and most recently dragons, which raised £369,500 in 2015.

Alanrilla, a tribute to Steve Coogan's fictional Norfolk radio and television presenter Alan Partridge, and a Freddie Mercury-inspired Radio Go Go graced the streets of Norwich during the GoGoGorilla trail in 2013.