Whatever bird you wanted to pick up – turkey, goose, duck, pheasant or chicken - the annual festive auction had it on offer.

Buyers came from all over the county and south west Scotland to pick out the best birds for the Christmas lunch at Harrison & Hetherington's (H&H) annual poultry sale in Kingstown, Carlisle yesterday.

About 480 birds went under the hammer including about 60 geese, 20 chickens, a dozen ducks, 10 braces of pheasants and hundreds of turkeys.

“They are good birds at good prices,” said Richard Hodgson, of H&H, as he gave birds over to the highest bidders.

Auctions can be confusing for the uninitiated but everyone at the Christmas poultry sale seemed to know what they were doing.

Prospective buyers watched closely as birds of varying weights were held up for all to see. Most of the turkeys were between 14lb and 17lb and there was a shortage of those between 25lb and 28lb.

After successfully securing a bid, chuffed buyers hauled away their turkeys, geese, ducks, pheasants and chickens all ready to prepare for Christmas dinner.

Many people bought multiple turkeys and other birds. Alison Robinson, 51, of Wigton, picked up a goose and a turkey.

She said it was great to be buying at reasonable prices from local breeders.

“We just want to support them rather than going into the supermarket," she added.

Ian Jackson started the Christmas Poultry Sale at H&H 24 years ago and though he retired from his livestock broker role last year, he did not miss yesterday's sale.

He said: "It's part of Christmas to me. It's traditional, bidding for a turkey."

Mr Jackson chatted to buyers and sellers around the ring where 12 long trestle tables were covered with rows of birds.

There were some big birds at the sale this year; the biggest turkey was 58lb.

The top price for a turkey was £62 and on average buyers were paying £4.20 per kilo for oven ready turkeys in Carlisle. The top goose sold for £42.

Lindsay MacGillivray, 36, of Lockerbie, was delighted with her 18lb turkey, which she bought for £28.

She said: “We come every year, it's cheaper.”

Wearing a Santa hat, Mike Cartmer, 54, of Kirkbampton, carried home his 15lb turkey which he said would feed six people both on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

“I come every year,” he said.

Colin Hawe, 71, of Newby, near Shap, was on the look out for three turkeys, one 54lb and the other two about 22lb.

He said: "You can see what you're buying. It's like everything else in life, people have got their preference for the price."