Original Archie dummy up for sale

The show had 15m listeners and a fan club of 250,000 children

The original Archie Andrews dummy used by ventriloquist Peter Brough in the 1950s radio show, Educating Archie, is to be auctioned off.

At its height, the series pulled in 15m listeners, had a fan club of 250,000 children and a brief spell on TV.

The doll is being put up for sale in Taunton by Brough's family after his death in 1999, aged 83.

Auctioneers Greenslade Taylor Hunt said along with other memorabilia it was expected to fetch more than £15,000.

The 4ft-high, blazer-wearing dummy has been stowed away in a suitcase for several years having survived being kidnapped, left on a train and stolen from a car.

Brough's daughter Sarah Domellof said: "We thought we'd pass him on because we have him at home and can't do much with him now.

"And with Dad's passing, we thought we'd give him a chance to go to someone who will love him and look after him like we have."

Archie is due to go under the hammer on Tuesday 22 November.

Auctioneer Luke MacDonald said: "He does have his own spirit and character and yes, it sometimes does seem very real rather than just a ventriloquist's doll."