Chance to buy Shaun the Sheep sculpture to raise cash for Newcastle's St Oswald's Hospice

The auction will include new sculptures that have never been seen by the public before, with bidding to start at £1,000. Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

Shaun the Sheep sculptures are set to be auctioned off to raise money for hospice care.

Children have been spotting the popular sculptures around Newcastle city centre all summer, but people now have the chance to buy their own when 40 of the hand-painted sheep go under the hammer in aid of St Oswald's Hospice.

The auction at Newcastle Civic Centre will include new sculptures that did not feature on the trial and have never been seen by the public before, with bidding to start at £1,000.

Each of the sculptures, which are based on the children's TV character, were individually decorated by local and national artists.

All money raised by the auction will go towards funding Newcastle's St Oswald's Hospice, which provides end of life care for those with terminal illnesses.

Two of the Shaun the Sheep sculptures which are due to be auctioned off for St Oswald's Hospice. Credit: St Oswald's Hospice

The trail ran from 9 July to 27 September and was created by the hospice in collaboration with Wild in Art, Aardman Animations, and sponsored by Newcastle City Council.

This is the third art trail for the hospice, following the Great North Snowdogs in 2016 and Elmer's Great North Parade three years later.

The hospice has said it does not know whether it will run the trail in future years, due to the number of sculptures being vandalised.

Several of the sheep were damaged during the summer before being removed from the trail for repair. At the time, the hospice said it was "saddened and disappointed" by the intentional damage.