Some of the personal items of late pastor Charles Stanley, which his grandson Matt Brodersen tried to sell on eBay, have been returned to the family by an anonymous buyer.

Pastor Stanley passed away in April following a successful 50-year ministry.

Brodersen, 29, was heavily criticised last month for auctioning Pastor Stanley's engraved pocket watch, a framed portrait of the late pastor and other personal belongings, arguing he had "bills to pay".

However, in a recent YouTube video, Brodersen explained the anonymous buyer of the pocket watch had returned the item to the family and had called him to explain the importance of keeping sentimental items within the family.

"Apparently, when he was younger and his grandfather died... his brother and cousin... immediately auctioned off his grandpa's things, which he did not like. So, he expressed, 'I wish my family had not auctioned off my grandpa's stuff. I would have liked to keep some of those things. I'm so glad I got to buy them and send them back to your family for you,'" Brodersen said.

The auction would've seen Pastor Stanley's grandson cash over $5,000 (£3,967) following 103 people bidding for the items, but after receiving the call from the anonymous buyer, he cancelled the remaining eBay auctions.

"So that is when it really all sank in about how creepy or weird that was of me to do that,' he said on YouTube.

"When he told me his story, I just died inside," he said. "And I realised how selfish I was being, so I cancelled the other eBay auction for the picture frame and the coin collection and I have mailed those back to my uncle. So technically, nothing has gotten sold on eBay. Everything is going back to its right property owners."

Brodersen, also an aspiring YouTuber, had previously shared how his grandfather had played a vital role in his Christian faith.