A rare first edition of The Beano has been sold at auction for a world record price of �7,500.

The comic, published by DC Thomson of Dundee in July 1938, is one of only nine first editions known to remain.

The original owner, who is in his late seventies and did not want to be identified, kept the comic in a plastic folder under a sofa for 40 years before putting it up for sale.

He was given it by his mother when he was a child and kept it in his Lincoln home ever since.

I'm thrilled for the vendor who is a man of modest means

Malcolm Phillips comic dealer

The company who sold it, Comic Book Postal Auctions, said it beats the previous record for a Beano number one, which was sold in 1999 complete with its whoopee mask for �6,800.

The firm's Malcolm Phillips said the fact this copy went for more than twice its estimate of �3,000 is amazing, especially as it was without the original mask.

He said: "I'm thrilled for the vendor who is a man of modest means.

"He kept it under his sofa in case he was the victim of a robbery and thought it was worth around �500.

"As you can imagine he was ecstatic. This will help with his retirement fund."

Tuppence

Mr Phillips said the buyer is a man in his fifties from Hertfordshire, a book collector who normally buys first editions of Ian Fleming's James Bond books.

The buyer is said to be absolutely delighted with his purchase and is looking forward to getting many years of pleasure from the comic, along with a reminder of his childhood.

Characters which are featured in the comic include Eggo, an ostrich, Lord Snooty and Morgyn the Mighty, a strongman, although children's favourite Dennis the Menace does not feature in the first edition.

That very first copy would have cost a young reader just tuppence at the time.