Two artworks by a famous comedian are going up for auction in July.

2018 would have been Spike Milligan's 100th birthday, and two of his paintings are going under the hammer in the coming weeks.

Jonathan Riley, from Grand Auctions in Folkestone, said: "Most people don’t know he was an artist first before concentrating on his comedy writing and acting, it paid the bills.

"We have two paintings by him for sale, which is a rare event and very suitable for his centenary.

"After leaving the army, Spike Milligan was particularly interested in developing his talents in art and completed a number of paintings, mostly magnificent landscapes.

"He had considerable ability in art and to his dying day regretted he never had time to develop his skills in painting.

"His lively mind would never have settled on landscapes , but would undoubtedly have moved towards surrealism.

"He was of course a comic genius and a good musician, so he did have competing interests. Writing and performing gave him an income, painting would have been far more precarious.

"The trouble is that he was so talented in a number of areas."

He continued: "He only ever held one solo public exhibition of his paintings and drawings organised by Charles Newington in the Agency Club in St. James.

"Typical of him, all paintings were not for sale.

"The two images we have were included in the Agency Club exhibition and have come for sale through the family."

The two paintings are called ‘Time to go home dear’ and 'Bendy Doll’.

It's estimated that Time to go home could bring in £300 to £500 and between £200 to £300 for Bendy Doll.

During his career, he performed at a number of theatres across Kent, has died at his home on the Sussex-Kent border near Rye in 2002 at the age of 83.

As well as appearing in panto and other stage productions in Kent, he often opened fetes and attended charity events in the county.

The auction will take place on Monday July 9 at 10am at 18 The Glenmore Centre.