A pair of David Beckham's customised football boots have fetched more than �13,000 at auction.

The size eight Predator boots were bought for �13,800 by a man dressed as a giant ferret, publicising a new website.

The red and black boots - with "Beck's" stitched on the tongues - were one of the highlights of Christie's football memorabilia auction in London.

They had been expected to reach around �1,000 but bidding by Bill the Ferret, from www.funplanet.co.uk, pushed up the figure

"David Beckham is a 21st century icon and Bill the Ferret really wanted his boots," funplanet spokeswoman Karon Maskill said.

"We wanted to be able to auction the boots ourselves at a later date for a good cause."

Bobby Moore's medals

The auction featured football medals, shirts and trophies from football stars past and present.

It featured more than 200 lots relating to Manchester United alone including the England number nine shirt worn by Bobby Charlton in the 1966 World Cup semi-final 2-1 victory against Portugal, which fetched �9,200.

Some 300 Manchester United fans who were unable to make it to the auction itself signed up to bid electronically over the phone while watching the event live on television.

A set of trophies owned by the late football legend Bobby Moore, regarded as the jewel in the crown of English football history, was not included in the auction.

It had been reported that the collection, which includes Moore's 1966 World Cup winner's medal, 43 of his international caps and several trophies, could fetch �2m.

But Jill Potterton, a Christie's spokeswoman, said the collection was being sold privately on the instructions of Moore's first wife, Tina, who owns them.

She said the medals were being sold as a job lot to stop them from being split up and ending up abroad.

A selected group of potential buyers has been invited to submit bids based on a Christie's valuation.

Ms Potterton said all the groups chosen to submit bids had "a connection" with English football.