A rare first edition of a Virginia Woolf novel, given anonymously to Oxfam, has been sold for £600 - after being priced at 99p.
The first edition of Mrs Dalloway, on which the film The Hours starring Nicole Kidman is based, was among a bundle of books given to the charity's Seaford bookshop last autumn.
Shop manager Julian Peterson said: "I marked it up at 99p at first but I had a feeling in my bones that it was probably worth serious money, so I contacted our Brighton branch, where they are able to research the value of rare books."
Manager Maria Fricker said they knew straight away a first edition was a collector's item.
She said: "We've had it on our web site for about six months and interest has stepped up noticeably since the success of The Hours.
"After a few days of negotiations, we accepted an offer of £600 from a specialist dealer in the West End.
"We don't know who donated it or whether they knew its value but we are extremely grateful."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article