THE ELUSIVE 81st Gromit has settled into a new cosy 'kennel' in Easter Compton after a travel agent in the village shelled out a whopping £20,000 in a heated bidding war.

C The World director Carolyn Park and financial advisor Adrian Kidd are now the proud owners of the very secret Grom Voyage, the only sculpture not to be included on the Gromit Trail across Bristol. It was eventually unveiled at the sell-out Greatest Dog Show on Earth exhibition last month.

The team consider themselves lucky to have snapped up, number 81, which very few have had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of, at the Gromit Unleashed auction in aid of Bristol Children's Hospital.

And villagers and Aardman fans are not wasting any time to get their fill of the stunning work of art, flocking to C The World to photograph the last in the colourful and often outlandish collection.

“We had our eye on two potentials, Newfoundland and Grom Voyage as they would both be appropriate additions to the C The World travel agency team," said Carolyn.

“Our upper limit was revised fairly swiftly after the first couple of lots were sold. The prices they made were fabulous. We were grateful to hear the hammer come down at £20,000.

“He is rapidly becoming a celebrity in Easter Compton and has pride of place in the office.”

She added: “We were so pleased to be able to assist such a great cause and astonished at the amount of money the auction raised on the night.

“It has been a great summer seeing so many people enjoying the Gromit Trail around Bristol, and congratulations to everyone involved with this project.”

Thanks to their generous bid, C The World helped to raise an impressive £1.8 million along with a host of local organisations and businesses towards Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal, Bristol Children’s Hospital's charity.