Picture: Hansons Auctioneers

A Chinese “teapot” found during a lockdown garage clean out has been sold for £390,000.

The pot – just five inches tall – was estimated to go for £40,000.

However, bidders from around the world pushed up the price to its dizzy heights.

The owner, a builder from Newhall in Derbyshire, said:

“I’m thrilled.

“This will change a few things for us all.

“It’s come at a really good time.

“I sat and watched the auction live at home with my brother and family.

“It was tense.

“The teapot has been in my family as long as I can remember.

“My mum used to display it in a cabinet.”

After her death it was boxed up and put in the garage.

The owner said:

“We’d been thinking of sending everything to a charity shop.

“But then lockdown came along, and I finally had time to go through the boxes in the garage.

“I’d always thought the teapot, which is what I’ve always called it, was special.

“Even so, when I took it to Hansons I was still unsure so dug out a few other bits and pieces for them to value in case they laughed at me when I pulled out the teapot.”