ACERBIC art critic Brian Sewell has ridiculed the sale of a Damien Hirst work in Dorchester.

The London Standard and television critic claimed that it should only be sold in Chrtistie’s or Sotheby’s in London to ensure exposure to an international market.

Hirst’s collage is one several works by famous artists to go under the hammer at Duke's of Dorchester on October 1.

It is being sold by Julie Balmforth who lives in West Dorset. She studied fine art with Hirst at Goldsmiths College in London and he gave her the work, a collage of various found objects including a plastic toy rabbit, a doll’s severed head and a starfish But Mr Sewell said: “Why the hell is she selling it in Dorchester?”

“The proper place to put this is in the London market where an international market would be aware of it.

I think it shouodn’t be in Dorchester, it should be at Christies or Sotheby’s. I wish her luck.”

But Guy Schwinge , a partner at Duke’s said Mr Sewell’s remarks of disbelief were ‘irrelevant.’ He said: “In our last picture sale we had an etching by Lucian Freud which we sold for just over £40,000.

“Exactly the same etching was sold shortly before for £22,000 at a London auction house.”

He added: “It’s irrelevant what Mr Sewell thinks.

“The fact is it is to be sold in Dorset and we hope to do very well for our client.”

Mrs Balmforth said she chose Duke’s because it had a great reputation and was run by ‘authentic’ people.

Other art experts including Karen Wright, editor of Modern Painters magazine, said it could be a ‘smart move’ to sell the work outside London, where auction houses have recently been inundated with work by Hirst.

Named Red Rubber Ball, the collage measures 39.5inches x 31.5inches and has been valued at between £30,000 and £50,000.

Other artists featuring in the sale include Picasso, JMW Turner, Jasper Johns, David Hockney, Milton Avery and a lost masterpiece by renaissance artist Ludovico Mazzolino.