THE Hampshire art collector whose works were auctioned last week left more than £8m in his will.

Keith Bromley, of Ashley Manor, near King's Somborne, left to relatives his estate valued at £8,689,766 gross, £8,645,063 net, according to figures released this week.

Meanwhile the auction of the belongings of Mr Bromley has raised more than £1m.

Hundreds of enthusiasts and professional dealers travelled to Ashley Manor for the three-day auction.

The collection was put together by Mr Bromley, of Russell and Bromley shoe firm fame, who by the time of his death last August at the age of 91 had amassed one of Britain's most exceptional collections.

The auction was organised by Salisbury based Woolley and Wallis to raise money for the Bromley Trust, the charity he founded more than a decade ago to stem human oppression and safeguard the world's animal species.

More than 500 people turned up over the three days, including former That's Life presenter Richard Stilgoe.

Most of the 1,400 lots were sold for well in excess of their estimates. The total raised was £1.17m.

Christine Johnson, of the auctioneers, said: "We hoped to raise £1m so we have exceeded that. We are very pleased.

"We have never seen a house with so many pictures in it. They were literally on all the walls and all the doors."

Highlights included a statue of a dog by Dame Elisabeth Frink, sold for £28,000.

A landscape by Sir David Hockney was sold for £17,500 - far more than the estimated price of £8,000.

A sculpture of a monkey by Graham Sutherland also exceeded expectations, finally going for £7,800 rather than the estimate of £3,000.

A 19th century painting of a cattle market went for £22,000 - £19,000 more than it was expected to fetch.

To view the lots for yourself, visit www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk.