Five oil paintings by renowned Gorleston artist Campbell Mellon known as the Lowry of the East went under the hammer in London this week.

Hopton Cliffs which was billed as among the star lots with a price tag of between £12,000 and £18,000 failed to sell at Bonhams in Knightsbridge.

But the only known example of a sketch book belonging to the popular artist achieved £687, just above its lower estimate.

Thought to be around 100 years old, dating from an earlier period in his career, it had been Ray Clement's most treasured possession for more than 40 years.

Mr Clements, who lives in Eastbourne, inherited it from his aunt Alice who knew Campbell Mellon.

It was expected to fetch up to £800 with some of the drawings said to resemble his established oils.

Bidders were able to vye for other examples of his work at the auction dedicated to East Anglian artists.

Beach Scene, Gorleston, sold for £4,375, eclipsing its pre-sale estimate of £2,000 to £3,000.

And Early Morning, Gorleston, sold for £5,000 matching its higher vauluation.

At Christie's South Kensington in London last year three of his oil paintings – The Sands, Gorleston, The Cliff Path, Hopton, and Breaking Waves, Gorleston, sold for £11,250.

At Bonhams in London in 2006, Mr Mellon's oil painting Beach at Gorleston, was expected to sell for between £8,000 and £12,000 but reached £31,200, setting a new world auction record for one of his works.

Meanwhile at the same sale on Tuesday an oil painting, Rivett's Farm, Norfolk, by Edward Seago more than doubled its estimate of between £7,000 and £10,000 selling for £21,875.