An "unwashed" lab coat worn by Princess Diana on the day it was announced her marriage had ended has been sold at auction.

The Princess of Wales wore the coat during her visit to the Interconnections Systems factory in South Shields on December 9, 1992.

This was on the same day the then-Prime Minister John Major announced she and Prince Charles, now King Charles III, had separated.

The coat, auctioned by Anderson & Garland, was bought by Graham Greaves of Annitsford in North Tyneside for £4,500, who said he wanted a "little bit of history".

The coat, which has been kept in a wardrobe ever since, had been expected to fetch between £800 and £1,200.

Mr Greaves, who had never been to an auction, bid for the coat online.

He said: "I think Diana's story was very intriguing, this coat is a little tale of when she came to the North East, and it's very nice to have a bit of history.

"It's something you can look back on, and I hope it becomes a family heirloom in years to come - in my era, we liked Diana."

The coat, made by Scottish firm Alexandra, features the embroidered text H.R.H. The Princess of Wales is on the pocket and is labelled Euro size 50.

The coat's seller, who worked as a team leader at the factory, said it was left behind on a hanger after the visit, and she was given permission to keep it.

She said she had never washed the coat in the last three decades.

A spokesperson for the auctioneer said: "The fascination with Diana's legacy continues around the globe.

"This simple lab coat, worn on one of the most pivotal days of her life, offers collectors a poignant and tangible connection to the People's Princess."