Record bid for artist's work

The artist kept the body of a tramp in his studio

Paintings and drawings by eccentric Plymouth artist Robert Lenkiewicz have sold for a total of £781,140 at auction.

A total of 155 works by the artist, who died aged 60 in August last year, went under the hammer at Sotheby's at Olympia, west London.

The top price was £28,800 paid for a Lenkiewicz self-portrait, a record for the artist.

The previous best auction price for his work was £13,000.

Lenkiewicz painted the street people of Plymouth as well as national figures, including former Labour Party leader Michael Foot and Beirut hostage Terry Waite.

The embalmed body of a tramp was found in his studio.

The artist created around 750 works during his lifetime, but left debts of about £1m.

A spokesman for his estate said it was hoped the proceeds of the auction - expected to be about £500,000 - would enable his remaining works to be retained and displayed in Plymouth.