FOOTBALL fans flocked to Swindon in person and by telephone for a specialist auction of memorabilia, with many items relating to England's 1966 World Cup victory.

The items they were bidding for ranged from collections of old programmes to players' jerseys.

The lots under the hammer at Dominic Winter Book Auctions in Maxwell Street were part of the latest of the firm's regular sports books and memorabilia sales.

Other sports covered ranged from chess to croquet.

Dominic Winter said: "The football auction was excellent and very lively.

"Football is a very collectable area and very current at the moment, so we had some nice healthy prices paid."

Items snapped up by collectors and dealers included:

A colour photograph of England's victorious 1966 World Cup Team, signed by 10 players including such greats as Jack Charlton, Alan Ball, Gordon Banks and Nobby Stiles. It sold for £276, including 15 per cent commission to the auction house.

A similar photograph of the team, which beat West Germany by four goals to two in the final. This lot sold for £346, including commission.

A set of five postcards featuring the British World Cup mascot for 1966 a lion called World Cup Willie.

All featured the World Cup Winners postal stamp of the period and were signed by team members. The cards raised a total of £74, again including commission.

A set of 11 autographs signed by members of the 1966 England team, which sold for £153, including commission.

The small number of unsold items included an England under-23 cap awarded to Ray Kennedy for his appearance in a match against Poland during the 1973-74 season, which failed to meet its £400 reserve price.

Two medals awarded to officials at the 1998 World Cup in France, which had been expected to raise up to £200, also failed to sell.