A collection of memorabilia of a legendary Black Country boxer has been preserved after it was sold at auction in Staffordshire.

The nine carat gold medals won by Halesowen-born Joe Attwood were nearly sold off for melting down.

Simon Reid from Sedgley, who bought them six months ago for £700 realised they were an important part of Black Country history and approached the man who sold them to find out if there were any other items of Joe’s available.

“The man, who had connections to Joe’s family, said he had been going to sell some other things including the gloves at a car boot sale, but he agreed to sell them to me instead for another £200.”

Yesterday the collection went to a boxing collector for £1,600 at Lichfield auctioneers Richard Winteron’s sale.

The story of how Joe Attwood’s memorabilia was saved will be told on a future edition of ITV’s Dickinson’s Real Deal. The sale was filmed and David congratulated Simon on keeping the collection together.