A collection of items from Bradford-based Yorkshire Building Society surpassed all expectations when it went under the hammer to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

The auction lot, which was made up of items from the Society’s Yorkshire Drive office - which is currently being refurbished, fetched £15,476, with all the money raised being donated to the RNLI, the YBS’s Charity of the Year.

Cutlery, glasses and numerous prints of artwork by David Hockney, Ashley Jackson and Braaq were among the lot at auction at KLM in Mytholmroyd last month.

Phil Kirtlan, head of group property at YBS, said: “Our Yorkshire Drive office is undergoing major renovations and as part of the clear-out operation we had a number of items that were no longer required.

“We hoped the auction would be a success as we always want to raise as much money as possible for the RNLI, but none of us could ever have imagined just how much we would make.

“It’s an incredible sum of money for such a worthy cause.”

Additionally, catering and facilities colleagues at the Yorkshire raised over £1,500 throughout 2013 for the charity that saves lives at sea by holding a series of events and bake sales.