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.

At the same money was the final shearling ram from the Whitcombes. This was Southern Cross 14/00562, a Southern Cross 10/00070 son out of a dam by Southern Cross Bradman. He sold to Messrs Wakeham-Dawson and Harmer, Lewes, East Sussex.

The dispersal of Daniel Bunting’s Golden Valley flock of Southdowns at Worcester on Saturday saw a top call of 900gns and sheep sell across the UK.

The champion from the pre-sale show, Jen Heathcote’s aged ram Pluckley 13/00048, led the trade at Saturday’s Southdown Sheep Society Premier Sale, Maidstone, when knocked down at 1050gns.