A vase has sold at auction for £49,500 after being valued at only £80 after its owner thought the cracked pot was worth pennies.

After a bidding war at TW Auctioneers in Diss, a buyer from China eventually bought the antique for its high sale price.

The vase is believed to date back to the Qianlong period in the 18th Century.

READ MORE: Enjoy a 'Bridgerton' themed ball at historic Norfolk Hall's first event

Eastern Daily Press: A close-up of the vase's intricate patternA close-up of the vase's intricate pattern (Image: Matthew Brand)

Matthew Brand, the Auction House manager, said: "The item didn't appear to be anything special at first and its owner didn't have any expectations for the sale.

"Having been in sales for a long time it's an amazing sale, it created a massive buzz at the Auction House when everyone was watching the bidding war take place in real-time."

The sale comes after a huge classic car collection worth millions of pounds was sold by an Auctioneer in King's Lynn.

Guy Snelling found the cars abandoned in a garage which included a 1957 ACE Bristol and three Jaguars.