BIDDING was fierce at a charity auction in aid of the North West Air Ambulance.

The ewe and lamb in the auction ring saw several bids from watching members of the farming community.

In the end a total of £2,000 was raised through the auction mart at Bentham and a further £1,398 in further donations, at the charity sale of a ewe and lamb from Joe Gorst and family of Mutton Hall, Old Hutton, with all the proceeds donated to the North West Air Ambulance.

The Dorset cross Leicester was the last female sheep bred by his late mother Janet Gorst, who died after a tragic accident in 2014.

The ewe was suckling a Beltex cross Texel lamb.

The outfit initially sold for £200 to Steven Crane of Ribchester who immediately donated it to be sold again.

It then went on to be sold several times making £250 to Neil and Linda Allan, Killington; £300 to Frank and Sue Towers, Wray; £400 to the Kelsall Family, Cold Cotes; £600 to a fund raised by the auction yard staff, office staff and café.

The outfit was finally sold to Aaron Troughton of Sedbergh for £250 – a total of £2,000 raised through the ring.

Since then, there have been other donation with the fund reaching £3,398 and still counting.

Bentham Auction specialises in all classes of breeding and prime sheep, store cattle, stirks, dairy cattle and calves offering a competitive live sale ring as well as farm to farm and direct sale options.

The North West Air Ambulance was started in 1999 and attends 2,000 missions every year.