Britain's highest paid artist, Andrew Vicari, returned to Wales on Thursday to paint a six-year-old girl to raise funds for BBC's Children In Need.

Mr Vicari, whose paintings usually command fees of tens of thousands of pounds, offered to paint a special one-off portrait as an auction lot for the fundraising campaign night on 15 November.

I didn't put my bid in until the last minute and just thought 'let's go for it' Malcolm Carey, bidder

Malcolm Carey, a retired shopkeeper from Merthyr Tydfil, bid just �4,100 for the artist to draw his granddaughter, Seren.

The painting was bought as a surprise present for Mr Carey's wife, Meg.

"Meg doesn't know anything about it yet," said Mr Carey.

"I decided to bid for it after she heard about it on the radio.

"My wife is very cultural and she had heard of Mr Vicari and his work, so knew what a wonderful opportunity it was.

"So I decided it would be a lovely surprise for her if I got it.

Seren was described as 'beautiful' by Mr Vicari

"I didn't put my bid in until the last minute and just thought 'let's go for it'," said Mr Carey.

Seren, who is a pupil at Heolgerrig Primary School in Merthyr Tydfil, was described as "beautiful" by the Port Talbot-born artist, who has achieved world fame for his work.

Mr Vicari has drawn, among others, Augustus John, Norman Wisdom, Mao Tse-tung, Sophia Loren and Prince Rainier of Monaco.

He has also achieved fame for his paintings which recorded the Gulf war.

It will be a good excuse to come back to Wales Andrew Vicari, artist

The artist, who has done a preliminary sketch of Seren from a photograph, is now planning to go to Mr Carey's Merthyr home to present the final piece in person.

"It will be a good excuse to come back to Wales," said Mr Vicari.

"I have to see the person I am painting face to face, I can't just do it from a picture," he said.

"Seren is a very beautiful child - the photograph I had of her wasn't very good.

"But now I have seen her, I will be able to draw her.

"It should take me another 10 days or so before the picture is finished," said Mr Vicari.