Hundreds attend auction of 96-year-old woman's portfolio of Five Valleys property and land

Around 200 property developers, householders, community land project representatives, town and district councillors and the plain curious attended the auction, run by Charles Duncan estate agents with Kidson Trigg chartered surveyors and auctioneers.

Ninety-six-year-old property magnate Ella Lamplough and her family built up the portfolio, which included 17 lots valued at a total guide price of £1.88million.

In the end it was the lots of land that did well at auction with some selling way over estimates.

Meanwhile bidding for two retail ground floor shops in Stroud High Street failed to meet a reserve price - the estimate was £250,000.

A parcel of rural land at Millend in Eastington with a tag of £25,000 sold for a whopping £140,000, while land at High Street in Stonehouse had a £100,000 tag and sold for £240,000.

Also selling above estimates were four pieces of open land and woodland near Folly Lane in Stroud.

Each were estimated to sell for £10,000 but all exceeded this, selling for between £13,500 and £36,500.

Properties sold included two Grade II listed houses in Woodchester which went for £186,000 and £280,000, while a terraced cottage in Nailsworth sold for £158,000.

A four-bedroom Painswick town house sold for £279,000 while a tin bungalow in Amberley sold for £162,000.

Other plots were up for auction in Cheltenham, including three parking spaces which sold for £25,500.

Mrs Lamplough, who lives in Woodchester, recently turned 96 and her son Robs thought the time was right to sell the impressive portfolio.

Marcus Annfield, lettings manager at Charles Duncan estate agents, said: "We are very proud to have been associated with the auction.

"An overwhelming amount of people from all walks of life turned up - it was a great advertisement for the property market of Stroud and the Five Valleys.

"Congratulations to all the successful bidders and thank you to everyone who attended."