Amusing quirky pottery figures made in Buckfastleigh by a retired London policeman are up for auction in Nantwich next Thursday. The potter, Will Young, set up his pottery at Combe, near Buckfastleigh, in 1951. He had suffered a bad head injury while working as a policeman in London, and was invalided out of the force. Mr Young was a self-taught potter, and he proved to have a definite talent for figures. He specialised in Devon characters, such as the Widdecombe Fair crew of Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer and Uncle Tom Cobley. He died in 1995 The humorous figures are known as Runnaford Pottery or Pickwick Pottery, and they are highly collectable – individual figures sell for up to £300. The figures up for aution on Thursday are owned by Lesley Leese, a keen collector and personal friend of Mr Young's. 'He was a wonderful man,' said Mr Leese, 79. 'I travelled to Devon in the mid-1960s, really wanting to find the potter responsible for these lovely figures. I finally tracked him down to Runnymead Cottage, and knocked on his stable door. It was a Sunday and an old Devon lady came out. She was wearing a cap and smoking a clay pipe. "No business on a Sunday," she said. But when Will appeared we got on really well and were friends until his death.' Peter Wilson Fine Art Auctioneers are organising Thursday's sale of 15 lots of Will Young Runnaford figures. They can be contacted on 01270 623878.