A DESIGNER handbag, favoured by the rich and famous, will go under the hammer at a Newport auction this week with proceeds going towards fraud victims.

A red Hermes Birkin handbag will be up for grabs at Wilsons Auctions' first unreserved government auction on Wednesday.

The auction, which will be available online, will allow the general public to bid on the designer bag and with no reserve it will go to the highest bidder.

Regularly seen on the arms of celebrities including Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, Sarah Jessica Parker and the Kardashians, the handbag is made by specialist craftsmen in France and retails from approximately £6,000.

As previously reported by the Argus, the auction will feature more than 100 lots, including a framed and signed Liverpool 1977 European Cup winners shirt.

Wilsons Auctions manages asset realisation processes for several government agencies and over 40 law enforcement agencies across the UK and Ireland.

Many items featured in this auction are the result of a successful investigation by the North East Regional Fraud Team, with the proceeds from this week's auction acting as compensation to the victims of fraud which saw over £250k stolen from bank accounts.

Wilsons Auctions group asset recovery manager, Aidan Larkin said: “Wilsons Auctions is proud to facilitate government auctions each month. The role we play in realising these important assets is vital to our clients as well as the process in raising the money which ultimately goes straight back into the public purse.

"In recent years we have been responsible for returning in excess of £85 million to government coffers. Items include government repossessed assets, proceeds of crime related assets as well as corporate liquidation stock, all of which are sold to the highest bidder with no reserve."

Physical viewing of lots will take place within Wilsons Auctions in Usk Way, Newport on Tuesday, 12-4pm and on Wednesday, 9am – 5pm.

All lots can be viewed at any time online with additional images available on request.

For more details or to register by midday on Tuesday January 30, go to www.wilsonsauctions.com, or search for @wilsonsauctionsltd on Facebook