MORE than £4,500 of vital funds have been raised for the Swan Theatre and Huntington Hall after a successful charity auction.

The Auction of Promises - held last Thursday at the Swan Theatre - had 91 auction items on offer.

The top lot was a garden makeover by University of Worcester staff, which fetched £300.

Similarly high bids came in for a bottle of whisky signed by Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor Gordon Brown.

The chance to have a private screening of a film of your choice, a private tour of Worcester Cathedral and the opportunity of having the Swan Theatre director Chris Jaeger act as chef also came under the hammer.

Mr Jaeger said: "It was an absolutely fantastic auction, with around 100 people turning up and £4,500 is our best-ever figure.

"People were so generous in what they were prepared to offer and they made the event the success it was.

"Things like this are vital to us. We last ran an auction like this two years ago.

"We had some great items for auction, like a hot tub delivered to the winning bidder's back garden for a week. They just have to fill it with water and it warms up.

"Lord Falconer also offered a tour of the House of Lords, and then there was the book signed by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. The gardening offer from the University of Worcester was the top bid of £300. It was a great night and thanks to all those who took part."

The chance to be a reporter for a day at the Worcester News also went under the hammer.

"That sold for around £30," said Mr Jaeger. "We had good bids for every item."

All of the money raised will help towards the upkeep of the Swan Theatre and Huntington Hall.