MORE than £58,000 was raised for local causes at the 2019 Farmers Charity Auction held at Borderway Auction Mart, Carlisle.

The sale, which attracted a large number of entries included items ranging from fur and feather, to feed and food, and a host of rurally focused or produced miscellany.

Amongst the livestock donated were several calves, a pair of Herdwick lambs, straws of semen and a batch of 25 pullets. Feed included bales of all kinds, shapes and sizes, salt licks and calf milk.

Food to bid for included a barbecue for 100, which attracted the second top price of £2800; bags of potatoes, a butchered red deer carcase, a pig and several home-made sponge cakes – one of which was resold after the auction and raised another £100!

The monies raised will be split across four charities: the Heart Centre Cumberland Infirmary, the North Cumbria Stroke Fund, RABI and Life Education Cumbria.

Star item was a Yamaha quad bike, which sold for the top price of £4600. Donated by local Carlisle farmer, John Wood, and only eight weeks old, the well-equipped quad will be handed over when Mr Wood has used it to move his flock to new grazing .

Nick Utting, chairman of the Farmers’ Charity Auction, said: “We were overwhelmed by the support we have received."

The event was organised by auctioneers C and D Longtown, Harrison and Hetherington, Hopes of Wigton, Mitchells of Cockermouth, Penrith Auction and North Cumbria NFU.