AN 18th-century farmhouse bucked the declining property market trend and sold for £210,000 above its guide price after the estate agent held a rare private auction.

Seven of the invited buyers gathered in the front room of Manor Farmhouse in Gussage All Saints for a nail-biting bidding war.

The property, placed on the market by Jamie Hawksfield following the death of his parents, had a guide price of £1.25 million.

John Young, director of Humberts in Blandford, was the auctioneer.

He said: "As soon as we put it on the market we got a whole heap of enquiries and interest in it. Everybody who went to look at it loved it.

"There was a good number of proceedable buyers. We put it to auction. It was a private auction by invitation. It sold for £1.46 million."

Mr Young said the atmosphere had been very tense but exciting as bidding started in the room, used in the 19th century as a meeting room, just after the church clock next door struck 12.

"It's not like buying a painting or a piece of furniture. This is where they are going to live.

"It's a lot of money. People are naturally very anxious."

The winner of the house, set in nearly five acres of gardens and paddock, with stables and a swimming pool, was a bidder who currently lives in Wiltshire and will take possession of the property in a fortnight.

Mr Young said everyone was very happy with the outcome, as the process was transparent and fair, and the nature of a private auction meant the contracts were exchanged on the day.