Faberge tributes to footballing greats set to go under hammer

TWO jewel-encrusted Faberge eggs created as tributes to Celtic legend Jimmy Johnstone and Manchester United's George Best are being auctioned.

The eggs, which have a silver and gold figure of each of the players inside, could fetch between 15,000 and 20,000 each, when they go under the hammer at McTear's Auctioneers in Glasgow on 1 March.

The Jinky egg is one of 19 specially created by the master goldsmiths in 2005 and is owned by life-long Celtic fans David and Pauline McGinty. The Best egg is up for sale by an anonymous seller. Mr and Mrs McGinty decided to sell their egg to help them move to and start a new life in Shetland.

Mr McGinty, who is 45 and lives in Rutherglen, said: "I have supported Celtic since I was a boy and my earliest memories are of watching Jinky playing, so having the egg is just incredible. I thought long and hard about selling it."