It was the auction that never was, as police tried to trace a thief who stole £30,000 worth of paintings and pottery from the personal collection of Suffolk artist Bernard Rooke.
Art enthusiasts filled the auction rooms at Gaze and Sons in Diss each hoping to pick up one of the 34 pieces of Rooke's work being auctioned off.
But people soon began to realise that no matter how high they bid, a telephone bidder always beat them. And as each piece fell to the art collector on the phone, those in the room began to laugh among themselves and make wild bids which all failed...