RARE collectibles crafted by the internationally renowned Bromsgrove Guild will come under the hammer at an auction later this month.

A stone figure, dating back to the early 20th Century, of a naked boy water carrier crouching by a pond is being sold at an auction organised by Sotheby's South.

The boy is wearing a yoke, has a bowl in one hand and a conch shell in the other.

Experts expect bidding for the fountain statue to reach £6,000 because it is such a rare figure.

A similar fountain figure stood in the Bromsgrove Guild's statue garden in Ednall Lane and is illustrated in The Bromsgrove Guild book, edited by Quintin Watt.

Sotheby's head of garden statuary department, Rupert van der Werff, said: "This is seen less often than lead work.

"We're expecting it to go for around £6,000 as people are always keen to buy something attributed to a well-known name."

Two lots of Bromsgrove Guild's early 20th century lead urns will also come under the hammer, along with a rare pair of lead planters.

They are expected to fetch within the region of £3,000 to £5,000.

The Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Arts, which was established in 1898 by Walter Gilbert, is famously known for it's decorative iron and bronze gates and railings outside Buckingham Palace.

The firm eventually folded in 1966.

A collection put together by the late town resident Clive Sherwood will also come under the hammer at Sotheby's on the same day.

It is a collection of rare oak furniture, sculptures and artwork, some dating back to the 15th Century.

The auction takes place next Tuesday and Wednesday in Billingshurst, West Sussex.