TWENTY-EIGHT of Bude’s old wooden beach huts went under the hammer at Kivells’ Holsworthy auction centre on Saturday. — with more than 1,000 people in attendance at the sale.

All the huts were sold and to a top call of £240.

Three huts went to London and were purchased on behalf of a family who used to enjoy holidays in Bude and now have grandchildren and they want to give them the opportunity to play in the same huts.

One buyer from the UK was in New Zealand and carried out his bidding over the phone.

Speaking after the sale, director of Kivells Mark Bromell said: “What a great day. We welcomed a large number of potential buyers who had never been to a sale before, which made the day even more fun.”

The huts were removed from Summerleaze beach and replaced by new huts as part of Cornwall Council’s programme to enhance the coastal assets at Crooklets and Summerleaze beaches.

Up to 225 new or refurbished beach huts will be provided on the two beaches by mid-July 2016.

The old huts that were auctioned on Saturday, April 2, varied in size, but most were approximately eight feet by six feet.

Nigel Pearce, one of two Cornwall Councillors for Bude, previously said the sale was a ‘great opportunity’ for people to take home a little bit of Bude’s history, adding: “The huts could be used as summerhouses or garden sheds and would provide a lasting reminder of summer holidays spent in Bude.”

David Parsons, who chairs the Bude Coastal Assets Group and is Bude’s other Cornwall Councillor, said before the sale: “We’re excited about the new huts that have recently been installed and there’s already a waiting list for people who want to hire them.”

James Morrish of Kivells said it was a ‘great pleasure’ to sell the huts on behalf of Cornwall Council.

Kivells also saw a huge entry of over 3,500 lots of machinery and goods at Holsworthy Market on Saturday for the April sale, which topped at £20,000 for the pick of the 13 tractors that went under the hammer.

Other highlights included the wonderful line up of farm machinery on behalf of John and Milly Hill of Beaworthy, who dispersed their equipment at the sale topping at £13,200.