Cambridge udder the hammer cows sell for more than £250,000

A herd of cows installed across a city as part of a ten-week art trail has raised £257,100 for a charity.

The Cows about Cambridge sculptures went under the hammer to fundraise for Break, a charity based in East Anglia that supports vulnerable children and young people.

Organisers of the sale said it was "udderly fantastic" when the largest bid came in for MooMoo-O-Tron III, by local artists Dinky Doors.

The robotic bovine sold for £16,000.

In total 45 items were auctioned including a homage to Sir Isaac Newton, with his name changed to Mooton, and a celebration of the city's pioneers in scientific discoveries called STEM Cow.

When the Royal Society of Chemistry saw its cow Dairy Curie sell for £5,000, it said on Twitter that it was "incredible" so much money had been raised and Ms Curie was "still the crème de la crème!"

Rachel Cowdry, chief executive officer of Break, said: "I've been blown away by Cambridge's generous support, thank you to each and every person and business who have placed their bids.

"Every penny of this phenomenal total means we can raise aspirations, provide safe and stable homes and remove all limits on what children on the edge of care, in care and leaving care are able to achieve in Cambridgeshire."

Celebrity auctioneer Charles Hanson, from TVs Bargain Hunt, Antiques Road Trip and Flog It, who was in charge of the sale, said it was a "stunning collection of Cows, designed both by established and emerging artists from Cambridge and beyond".

Charlie Langhorne, the event's producer from Wild in Art, said it had been an incredible summer of fun, creativity, collaboration and "cow puns galore!".

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