Organisers of Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal left shocked after more than £2.3 million was raised for charity following the Gromit auction in Bristol.

The 81 sculptures were designed by a variety of companies and proved so popular with the public as they were put on display at Beacon House, Bristol last month for a huge exhibition called 'The Greatest Dog Show On Earth', that many of the statues went for thousands.

One titled Gromit Lightyear was a 'Toy Story' take on the Nick Park character and went for an incredible £65,000.

The auction project was to raise money for new facilities, artwork and modern equipment at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, to go with the NHS's £31 million donation so far. Park was left astonished when he saw Gromit Lightyear get sold. 'It just kept going up', he told BBC News. 'When the first few started climbing I started tingling. It was double the target.'

He seemed deeply touched by the amount of interest in the statues both at the event and online. 'It is obviously for the children's hospital, everyone has been so generous, the people in the room, on the internet and the artists', he said.

As well as Bristol, the sculptures can also be found in London and Gloucestershire and they have attracted audiences from around the world. 

Nick Park at the BAFTAs
Nick Park was 'stunned' by Gromit auction