MEMORABILIA relating to a famous North-East cartoon character goes under the hammer next month.

Hartlepool-born cartoonist Reg Smythe drew more than 18,000 Andy Capp cartoons over four decades from 1957 until his death in 1998.

Now a collection of previously unseen drawings, awards and other personal items are to be sold by auction at Tennants of Leyburn on behalf of his family.

Mr Smythe first developed his inking skills as a regular soldier stationed in Egypt before the war drawing caricatures of NCOs and officers.

He later combined working full-time with freelance cartooning. however his breakthrough came in 1957.

Commissioned to create a cartoon for the Daily Mirror to combat falling sales, Andy Capp was born - a working-class character who spent his time drinking, playing darts or fishing.

His daily mishaps and endless conflict with his long-suffering wife Flo became so popular they were syndicated in 1,700 newspapers worldwide and translated into 15 languages.

Over the years Mr Smythe won many awards, including British Cartoonist of the Year for five years consecutively in the mid 1960s.

Since his death in 1998 the Mirror continues to publish the cartoons, which are now produced by a team of three artists.

Tennants will auction the memorabilia in their toys and collectibles sale on March 23. However such is the interest particularly from the USA they have created an exhibition and everything can be seen on display there until the sale.

Rodney Tennant, Tennants chairman, said: "These items of memorabilia are both interesting and possibly unique and will never be seen together again."

Reg Smythe’s niece Helene de Klerk has written a book, My Dancing Bear, which tells the story of her uncle.

The book is on sale at Tennants.