An historic town centre building in need of major structural repair has sold at auction for £51,000.

The Old Courthouse, on Cockermouth's Main Street, went under the hammer recently, with no reserve price.

The 192-year-old building was described by the Carlisle-based Auction House as a "substantial Grade II listed town centre property in need of major structural repair".

It has been owned by a town family since the 1970s. Alan Jackson said: "The hammer has come down and we're looking forward to them completing."

The buyer bid online and is not known to Mr Jackson.

"There was a fair bit of interest. Quite a few people looked around it.

"I don't know if the person who purchased it had looked around," he said.

"Hopefully the person who has purchased the property has a good idea of how to repair it.

"I would like to see it back up and running once more."

The details stated: "This mixed use investment property was last occupied by five tenants, the Honest Lawyer restaurant, two hairdressers, an antiques business and a residential flat.

"It was producing an annual income of around £38,000.

"Erosion of the riverbank has led to undermining of the rear, right hand corner of the property causing movement and cracking within the building. As a result a section 78 notice has been served by Allerdale Borough Council."

Mr Jackson said he would like to show the new owners around.

"My family has really enjoyed owning part of Cockermouth's heritage and the retail, restaurant and services it has contained," he said.

"The owner may want to put their own stamp on it. Everything moves forward."

The building next to Cocker Bridge had to be evacuated in November after the fast flowing river eroded the stone section underneath it, rendering it unsafe.

Divers and a marine structural engineers were called in to inspect the damage.

Emergency interim repairs were carried out at the beginning of the year. A dive team placed two tons of bags filled with special cement underneath the property. The cement sets when water hits it. The owners spent £12,000 doing the work.

Repair work was also carried out by the Environment Agency on a nearby bank and flood defence wall which was also badly damaged.

Under the hammer: https://www.timesandstar.co.uk/news/20243274.historic-cockermouth-building-auction---no-reserve-price/