The lonely piper was left in a Warwickshire cellar

The 19th Century wooden figure went under the hammer on Friday at Bonhams auction house in Edinburgh after it was discovered in a basement in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

The six-foot statue, dressed in full regalia including a kilt, white spats and black shoes, is thought to have been carved for a distillery or whiskey shop more than 100 years ago.

The figure, which was expected to fetch about �5,000, eventually went for �9,165.

The managing director of Bonhams in Scotland, Deirdre Armstrong, said: "The piper was certainly one of the highlights of this year's sale, and we're delighted with the interest and exceptionally high selling rates in our Scottish sale to date."

Other items sold included are a bronze statue of Robert the Bruce, which was predicted to fetch up to �12,000, but went for �19,975.

A collection of poems by William McGonagall, including his famous The New Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay, went to a private collector for �470.

And a rare silver communion cup from Banff, made in about 1725, fetched �22,560 after being estimated at �10,000 to �15,000.