A Keighley woman has beaten off world-wide bidders in an Internet auction to buy a trinket box once owned by Princess Diana.

Debbie McLean, 34, bid £3,000 for the box auctioned by the Hull Sailors' Families Society, an organisation supported by the Princess of Wales.

Debbie said: "I expected it to go for between £10,000 and £15,000. I'm amazed I got it. I think it's priceless. I believe it's a good investment which I will keep in the family."

The 4in oval trinket box has the letter D on the top. Debbie, who lives with her partner, fireman Michael Davis, 35, and plans to marry shortly, is not a collector of Royal memorabilia but recently bought a special edition gold coin to commemorate the Princess's death.

Bob Procter, fundraiser for the Hull Sailors' Families Society, which raises cash to support the children of deceased or disabled sailors, said the box was presented to the society by the Princess in 1995.

He said the intention was to auction it to raise money, but when she died, it was decided to postpone as an act of respect.

It was then put into a draw at an event in Hull where it made £2,800 and the winner gave it back to the society which then decided to hold an internet auction which attracted 10,000 visitors to the website from around the world.

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