A CELEBRITY made a visit to Preston's Football Museum looking for the oldest soccer ball in town!

The football, used when Preston North End were beaten 2-1 by West Bromwich Albion in the 1888 FA cup final, was sold for £32,900 on Tuesday at a London auction.

It was expected to fetch £18,000 at Christie's, but netted a higher figure when an anonymous collector sent the bidding sky high.

And on Wednesday television funnyman and writer Frank Skinner, a big Baggies fan, visited the Preston museum believing they had bought the ball.

Mark Bushell, marketing manager at Preston's Football Museum, said: "He wanted to know if we had bought it and I had to say no. But we would certainly be very happy to show it.

"This ball was the one used in the cup final before the one where PNE won the first ever FA Cup and league double.

"They may have been defeated by West Brom on this occasion, but they were both the top teams of the day."

Although the new owner is anonymous Mr Bushell is appealing to them to put the 19th century gilded, painted and inscribed ball on display at the museum for all to admire.

He said: "The ball was found in an attic and I hope that the new owners appreciate that such relics really have to be kept well and don't just stick it in a private collection.

The Secretary of State for culture, media and sport, The Right Hon Tessa Jowell MP, is to tour the National Football Museum, Preston, on Sunday, September 29, at 3.30pm, where she will meet Preston MP Mark Hendrick, museum director Kevin Moore and chairman Brian Booth.