A SUCCESSFUL dispersal sale of farm machinery and sheep at Stoney Field Farm, Neen Sollars, near Bewdley attracted buyers from as far away as Ireland and the West Country.

The sale, conducted by Kidderminster auctioneers Halls was held following Adrian and Jen Bradley’s decision to leave farming.

Halls’ auctioneer and director Daniel Lovatt reported a brisk trade for the genuine farm machinery, fodder and sheep, which included a registered flock of 213 Lleyn ewes, yearlings and ewe lambs together with 200 store lambs, 95 cross-bred ewes and 10 rams.

Notable prices included £8,600 for a 1988 John Deere 3650 four-wheel drive tractor, £3,600 for a Kramer Allrod 512 SE, £1,900 for a Kawasaki KLF00 4x4 quad bike and £2,000 for a 1982 International 785 XL 2wd. Farm implements and sheep handling equipment were in particular demand, with a Prateley sheep race fetching £5,100, an IAE race, £620, a cattle crush, £920, 15ft galvanised gates sold to £135 and 10ft feed barriers to £190.

Halls’ senior director Roger Sadler said silage, hay and straw was in great demand, particularly big square bales of wheat straw, which sold for £14.50 each.

The genuine, home-bred sheep were a credit to Mr and Mrs Bradley and attracted a good trade. Pedigree Lleyn yearlings sold to a top of £79, three-year-olds made £78, ewe lambs made £61 and Charollais cross store lambs topped at £45 per head.

Halls has another dispersal sale at 11am today at Noken Farm, Sinton Green, near Worcester on behalf of Tom Pritchard. Equipment on offer includes a Ford 6610 Hi-Clear, two Massey Ferguson 135 tractors, three David Brown 2D tool carriers, a Caterpillar V500 forklift, a Kawasaki KVF400 4x4 quad and JCB 2CX 4x4.

Other tractors, including a New Holland TM165 four-wheel drive, have been entered from neighbouring farms.