Nature Features

Poultry breeders from far and wide descended on the Gaggle Of Geese pub in Buckland Newton on Bank Holiday Monday to sell their geese, ducks and pedigree chickens.

England's fastest growing hobby

Birds under the hammer included Fawn Chinese Geese, Toulouse Goslings, Japanese Quails and Lady Amhurst Pheasant Cocks.

But feathered lots weren't the only things on offer. Bidders walked away with a Boar Guinea Pig, a Lionhead Doe and a Black and White Netherland Dwarf Buck.

All commission proceeds from this twice-yearly event are donated to charity.

Jan Marpole

Growing in popularity

Trevor and Jan Marpole, who run the pub, estimate that around 4,000 came along to the May Bank Holiday event and that it's popularity is growing:

She says: "We don't even need to advertise and all of these people just suddenly turn up. From a very small beginning it's become mammoth!"

The fair has been featured on Channel Four's Tales from Riverside Cottage with Dorset resident Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. 

Jim Butt, a so-called 'Chicken Supremo' from Salisbury, was at the auction sizing up the potential bids. 

BBC Dorset had to resist bidding!

He's not surprised by the popularity of the event: "Poultry keeping is really on the up at the moment and its England's fastest growing hobby. More and more people are keeping poultry and this auction is testament to that."

Jan and Trevor inherited the auction around 20 years ago from the previous landlord, who started breeding Geese as a hobby and found that he had too many Goslings.

The local vicar had once been an auctioneer and was asked to auction the Goslings off one Sunday lunchtime in the pub car park.

Some of the locals realised that they had too many birds on their hands and decided to join in - and so the legacy of the Goose Auction began.