Fans of ITV's Emmerdale will have the chance to buy the soap's pub when it goes under the hammer next month, it was announced last night.

The Woolpack Inn is expected to make more than £500,000 in the sale in Leeds. It was used by ITV for more than 20 years as a central social point for the characters of the fictional town of Beckindale.

The pub in the Yorkshire village of Esholt was featured until 1996, when a specially-constructed set was built with a replica of the Woolpack.

Now the owner, Bradford City Council, has decided to sell the pub.

Councillor Simon Cooke, deputy leader of Bradford council, said: "This sale is sure to attract a great deal of major interest."

Auctioneer Eddisons which will be dealing with the sale, believes competitive bidding may push the price higher than the £450,000 to £500,000 asking price.

"The Queen Vic, Rovers Return and Woolpack are known to viewers across the world and we can safely say this is the only one of the three that will ever come up for sale," said Eddisons' assistant auctioneer Emma Johnson.

"Esholt is a Mecca for thousands of Emmerdale fans from across the world every year and The Woolpack is the focus of attention for many of them."

Brian and Jennifer Pickard will continue to run the pub, for which they have a further 21 years' lease. The new proprietor will own the building.