Ascot's memorabilia is sold off

Ascot is currently undergoing a £185m redevelopment

A racecourse hopes to raise more than £120,000 for a racing charity in an auction of 300 lots of memorabilia.

The items were salvaged before the old grandstand at Ascot was demolished in a £185m redevelopment.

The auction at Sotheby's in aid of the charity Racing Welfare, includes the gates to the winner's enclosure, which could fetch about £30,000.

Other items to go under the hammer are the mechanism from the clocktower and memorabilia from the Royal Box.

Racing's heritage

Douglas Erskine-Crum, chief executive at Ascot, said: "Removing the artefacts and memorabilia from the site prior to the start of our redevelopment and deciding which pieces should go to auction was quite an extensive operation.

"However, it was also very exciting to see pieces emerge as potential lots and to think about who they may appeal to, and we feel that we have compiled a comprehensive range of items that have been associated with Ascot for many years.

"The proceeds are going to Racing Welfare, which we thought was appropriate as Ascot is part of racing's heritage, and so racing as a whole should benefit."