WATERCOLOURS bought by the Duchess of Kent's father for about £2,000 have raised a quarter of a million pounds at auction.

Ten out of 15 paintings by 18th century watercolourist, Francis Towne, sold for £275,686 at Christies auction house, London, yesterday.

They were sold by Sir Marcus Worsley, son of the late Sir William Worsley, of Hovingham, near Malton, who bought and owned the paintings. Sir William was the father of Katherine Worsley, who became Duchess of Kent when she married the Duke of Kent at York Minster in 1961. Twelve of the 15 pictures which went under the hammer were exhibited at York City Art Gallery in 1950. One painting, "Waterfall Between Chiavenna And Mount Splugen, Switzerland", went for £70,700. The paintings had been expected to bring a third of a million pounds, but a spokeswoman for Christies said: "We're very pleased with the sales."

Updated: 11:44 Friday, June 06, 2003