Thatcher puppet tops satire sale

Roger Law sold the puppets to fund a move to Australia

A blue-suited Baroness Thatcher was the highest selling-item in an online auction of Spitting Image puppets.

Baroness Thatcher's early incarnation was the top seller

Auctioneer Sotherby's received 39 bids for the "patronising" version of the former UK prime minister, with the top bid netting £11,224.

Her later "angry" replacement, which sees her puppet in a pin-striped suit, came fourth, selling for £5,299.

The sale of 350 puppets from the long-running ITV satirical series raised £370,105 for one of its creators, Roger Law, who is emigrating to Australia.

Its organisers are now thinking of holding a second sale next year.

Her later puppet sold for £5,299

A likeness of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger came second in the sale, selling for £7,545, including the premium taken by Sotheby's.

Ronald and Nancy Reagan took £5,905 between them after attracting 57 bids.

Other puppets sold included Peter O'Toole (£4,122), failed US presidential candidate Ross Perot (£2,981) and comedy legend Sid James (£2,098).

In demand: Mick Jagger

A Sotheby's spokesman called it an "astonishing sale".

"We've had such fun doing it. When we were originally approached by Roger Law, we were immediately taken with the idea," he said.

The online sale follows a live auction at Sotheby's last week, which raised a further £14,000 for the Hackney Empire theatre in east London.

Former deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine praised the show for turning him into "Hezza", while film director Michael Winner pledged £5,400 for a Sir John Gielgud caricature.