A historic Welsh dresser has been sold at auction for what is thought to be a record �45,000.

There were three people in the running for Lot 200 at the Victoria Salesrooms at Mold when the bidding passed �40,000.

An un-named local buyer paid �45,000 for the dresser setting what is believed to be a Welsh record.

The previous record is thought to be �38,000 at a Sotheby's sale in London.

Telephone bids

John Hughes, a partner in Dodds the Auctioneers which conducted the sale, said that there had been tremendous interest in the dresser, which dated back to 1700 and which had remained in the same family ever since.

"It is a particularly good dresser. To say that it is the nicest dresser that I have ever seen would be an understatement," he explained.

"It is a big, nine feet long dresser, a lovely colour and in impeccable condition."

Mr Hughes said that the dresser had been made in 1700 and had been in the family of Meirion Pugh of Rhewl near Ruthin until now.

Mr Pugh decided to sell after he recently moved to the Abbeyfield Home in Ruthin, but it had been in the farming family all along - while they farmed in the Vale of Clwyd and before that in the Trawsfynydd area.

Bidding started at �20,000 and there was special interest in the dresser which also attracted telephone bids, including one from Jersey, Mr Hughes explained.