ART lovers can bid for paintings as part of a silent auction being held to raise funds for a charity in North Yorkshire.

The Station, in Richmond, is hosting the Wall to Wall event throughout February with a display of donated art.

Locals can view the pieces, some of which have not been shown before, and then bid on them at the free exhibition.

Works have been collected from many well known artists, actors and politicians including Maureen Lipman, Ben Kingsley, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and William Hague.

The Prince of Wales has also submitted a piece for the display in the grade II listed building run by volunteers.

The Station charity spent £2.7m converting the former Richmond railway station into a multi-purpose community venue.

It gets no outside funding and so it relies on charitable donations to keep running and to carry out work.

Donald Cline, station trustee, said: "To begin, it was tough going, but once several big names agreed to donate a work, others followed on.

"Many of the works in the Wall to Wall do have reserve prices on them.

"However, because the artists want the charity to benefit from their donations, these reserves have been set at very reasonable levels.

"Based upon the quality of the work which is in the Wall to Wall, the organisers of the event are hoping to raise £20,000 when the bidding finishes at 5pm on February 28."

To view the works, or to make a bid, visit The Station or visit www.wall-to-wall-art.com.