UNUSUAL lots have been coming under the hammer at one of the region's busiest auction marts.

Hexham Mart, near Tyne Green, in the Northumberland town, is well-known in the region for its weekly livestock auctions.

Farmers from across the North-East and Cumbria buy and sell more than 1,000 cattle and 8,000 sheep a week.

Recently, the mart held a fur and feather auction, at which 1,300 rare birds and household pets were sold.

The fur and feather mart will be held every six months, and there are other unusual auctions planned.

A trees and shrubs auction will be held on Saturday, April 23, followed by a machinery and tools mart in early June and a sale of vintage tractors at the end of the summer.

Auctioneer Chris Armstrong said: "We have been diversifying and branching out and selling everything and anything. For various reasons, such as the way subsidy schemes work, people do not have so many livestock as before, so we have diversified so we can make our commission in other areas.

"It also makes it interesting for us, the auctioneers, that we have different lots to sell."