A 1960 Dinky toy that has never been out of its box has been sold for a record £9,200 by North-East auctioneers.

The pristine black and white glucose delivery tanker, emblazoned with Sweeteners for Industry, was specially commissioned for Corn Products for representatives to give to customers.

Only 550 were made, and the one sold by Middlesborough specialist toy auctioneers Vectis had been stored away untouched for more than 40 years by former Corn Products sales manager, Michael Granger, now 67.

He said after the sale: "We gave them all away but there was one left over, which I kept. It was still wrapped in tissue and I had never even taken it out of the box. We found it in a cupboard while cleaning out the house and discovered it was extremely valuable."

The tankers were not put on sale to the general public but would have cost Corn Products about £1 each in 1960.

Auctioneer David Nathan said: "They are extremely rare anyway - but in 30 years this is the first one I have ever seen in its original box."

He confirmed that the price - paid by a Continental private collector - was the highest ever paid for a post-war Dinky.

The world record price for any Dinky is £12,650, paid at Christie's in 1994 for a 1935 green and yellow Bentalls delivery van.