Check out the valuable cat painting that was spotted in a skip

A couple got a huge surprise after finding two old paintings in a skip - which later sold at auction for more than £15,000!

They said the artwork originally caught their eye because they thought it could be a fun gift for a family member who loves cats.

For years the pictures hung on the walls of their home, but one day they decided to find out more about the artist behind them.

That's when they discovered the paintings were by a famous British artist called Louis Wain, who became well known for his colourful drawings of cats more than 100 years ago.

The couple first spotted the two paintings in a skip, while walking their dog in south-west Wales.

"When we initially saw them in the tip, they grabbed our attention as we thought it could be a lovely gift for our daughter-in-law who loves cats," the couple explained.

"After spending around a year in her home, she eventually gifted them back to us," they added.

The pictures had hung on the walls of their home in Pembrokeshire for several years before they decided to learn more about the artist, according to Rogers Jones Auctioneers.

The couple then found out that they had been painted by British artist Louis Wain, who was known for his pictures of cats in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In fact, Wain is often credited with changing people's attitudes to the animals at the time.

The paintings went under the hammer, where they were finally sold for £16,000.

The couple added: "We always joked they might be worth something one day but never truly believed it."