SKETCHES of a virtually nude Sir Sean Connery by a retired Lothians art teacher have sold for £956 at auction.

Hilary Buchanan, 68, drew the actor wearing just a loin cloth nearly 50 years ago as a student in Edinburgh College of Art.

She had forgotten about the sketches - and the fact she had even drawn Connery - until she read an article about the Edinburgh screen legend and his time as a life model.

The drawings had been gathering dust in the attic at her Gorebridge home.

Mrs Buchanan, 68, a former secondary school art teacher, said: "I do remember this chap who was a model but we never thought he would be this famous person he is.

"I remember his jet-black hair and eyebrows more than his body, even though that was spectacular. He had a very solid presence."

The sketches went to an unknown bidder at a Film and Entertainment auction at Christies in London.

Mrs Buchanan, who now teaches adult evening classes in Greenhall Community Centre in Gorebridge, was a full-time student at Edinburgh College of Art for four years in the early 50s.

Months after she sketched Connery, he took the first step on his path to fame. He entered the 1953 Mr Universe contest in London and won third place.

At the competition, the 23-year-old caught the eye of talent scouts who suggested he audition for a new musical called South Pacific. His physique helped him win a minor part in the chorus line, which helped him launch his acting career.