Leading trade at the final Southdown Sheep Society sale of the season at Melton Mowbray was a bid of 320gns for the pre-sale champion from Linda Clements.

This was a shearling ewe from the Avenue Farm flock sired by the homebred sire Avenue Farm 12/00026 out of a homebred dam. She sold to P Freshwater, Bicester.

Following that at 270gns was another shearling ewe, this time Alison Allan’s entry by Wattisfield 11/00091 and out of a homebred dam. This one was knocked down to G F Harrison, Lakenheath.

Linda Clements then sold the shearling ram Stoneridge 14/00043 at 260gns, with this one being by Stonebridge 13/00033 and out of an East Dean dam. Buying this one was L R Oakes, Swaffham.

And making 250gns was the first prize ram lamb and reserve overall champion, Mark Hawtin’s Spratton 15/00152, a son of a Golden Valley sire out of a dam by a Pazton sire. He sold to Patrick Goldsworthy, Huntingdon.

Four then sold at 200gns, with the first being a shearling ewe from Alison Allan and by a Goodwood sire. She sold to G F Harrison, Lakenheath.

Second at this level was Patrick Goldsworthy's ewe lamb by an East Dean sire and out of a Heathgate dam, with this one taken by G Hill, Tamworth.

Stephen and Paul Humphrey then sold a shearling ram at the same money, with this being by a Langford sire and out of a homebred dam. He sold to a Butler, Chesterfield.

And the final call at this level came for a ram lamb from Sophie Arlott which sold to the Humphrey family. This one is by a Ridings sire and out of an East Dean dam.

Averages; eight ewes £168, 11 ewe lambs £145.57, eight ram lambs £204.75, four ram lambs £191.63.