AN original drawing by one of England’s most famous cartoonists of the 20th century has sold for £1,100 after it was bought for £2 at a car boot sale.

‘The Larynx Preservation Committee Fail To Detect The Slightest Suggestion of Throat Trouble, In A Man Who Has Chain-Smoked One Thousand Cigarettes’, was penned by HM Bateman (1887-1970).

Fernhurst auctioneer John Nicholson’s art specialist, Buffy Parker, put it into its May 11 sale with an estimate of £500-£800, but a bidding battle took the final hammer price to £1,100.

Mr Parker said: “It was a happy ending for buyer and seller. Once again, it illustrated not just the upsurge in popularity of Bateman, but also the enduring appeal of satire on the English character.

“We are delighted to have been of help again in finding the right home for this accomplished work.”