Record sum paid at land auction

Chrystals have set a new record for the money raised at a land auction in the Isle of Man.

Two traditional farmsteads in Lower Foxdale, sold by Joe Leece as administrator of the estate of his brother William, went for a total of well over half a million pounds.

The 47 acres attracted considerable interest, with over 50 local landowners, property developers and individual buyers attending.

Auctioneer Keith Kerruish opened the bidding at £600,000.

There was a slow start, with a first bid of little over half that figure, but a leading local builder soon secured the purchase, for £570,000.