An auctioneer's plans to sell a complete set of Pirelli calendars suffered a hammer blow - when the item failed to attract a single bid.

Hailed as the star lot in Ilkley-based Andrew Hartley's toy sale, the famous girlie calendars failed to raise an eyebrow among punters - even though their estimated value was up to £12,000.

Instead, more conservative bidders opted to spend a total of £38,000 on toys.

And supermodels like Naomi Campbell were snubbed in favour of parts for a Meccano set that fetched £775, a doll that went for £1,000 and even a toy railway tunnel with bits missing which sold for £250.

"The calendars were our biggest item at the sale and we estimated they'd fetch something between £8,000 and £12,000, especially as the collector had paid up to £800 for individual items," said Mr Hartley, who admitted the risque calendars were probably misplaced in a toy sale.

"We advertised the event all over place - even internationally on the Internet - and a lot of people did turn up at the event.

"But people seemed more interested in the dolls and when it came to lot 250, we had a few enquiries, but no serious buyer emerged. Now the calendars are back under the spare bed of the collector who wanted us to sell them!"

Other items at the auction held at Ilkley's Victoria Hall Salerooms included peddle cars, model railways and Dinky toys.

The Pirelli collection featured 24 calendars spanning 1964 to 1997 and a book called The Pirelli Calendar Album - The First Twenty Five Years.

Mr Hartley said: "It may be that it was a question of timing.

"We chose the toy sale as a venue because the other sales we hold are for antiques and fine arts, which didn't seem appropriate for a pile of girlie calendars.

"We've used past toy sales to sell other things such as a signed Beatles record of Please, Please Me, which went for £300. But it may be that the collector will try and sell the collection again in a couple of year's time. It's an investment which will definitely come in the future."

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