Bidding war for Hitchhiker towel

Towels have alls sorts of uses according to The Guide

Props from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy have been sold for charity - including a "life-saving" towel.

The stripy towel used by Arthur Dent, played by Martin Freeman, in the film eventually sold for £225 in the website charity auction, attracting 29 bidders.

Proceeds will go to Rhino International and The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund - both supported by the late Hitchhiker's author Douglas Adams.

Other items included a Vogon tissue box and Zaphod's autograph book.

The book, used by Sam Rockwell's vain anti-hero character, sold for £177 on the eBay auction site.

Useful tool

There was also an incense burner used by Humma Kavula, played by John Malkovich, which sold for £139.

A foam hand used in a Deep Thought crowd scene reached £73.

In Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Adams made towels one of the most useful things to carry, even handy for use in hand-to-hand combat.

The film, which was in the planning stages when Adams died in 2001, has so far topped the box office charts in the UK and US, taking nearly £30m.