They took up residence for the summer in Bungay and people flocked to see them.

But now 53 wooden chickens created by members of Black Dog Arts are on their way to new homes after helping to raise hundreds of pounds for charity.

The brightly coloured birds were dotted around the town in various businesses during the early part of summer for people to spot, in an ode to the inhabitants of the nearby Chicken Roundabout.

The Return of the Chickens art trail proved a huge success and attracted 100 entries into a competition to win two patchwork chickens.

On Sunday more than half were sold during an auction at the River Waveney Trust Study Centre in Earsham, making £550.

Proceeds will go back into the trust and those not sold are still available to buy for £15 at the centre.

Terry Wright, organiser of the trail said: “It was a great occasion because the auctioneer Carolyn Ashton does a brilliant job and told a story about each chicken.

“One of the chickens painted like the clothes of Gudrun Sjoden, which was at Earsham Street Cafe, attracted a lot of attention and the one painted in aboriginal style was very popular, which was in Pex Fish and Chip Shop. The patriotic red, white and blue chicken at Whitemans was the first one to sell.

“I don’t think it’s something we could do annually, but maybe every other year and we would invite readers for their suggestions for the theme. It’s been a lot of fun all round.”

Marlene Jarvis, another organiser from Black Dog Arts said any chickens not sold would be stripped back to the original MDF and covered with blackboard paint for people to buy and use to write reminders on.