Auction trio raise £4k on office tour

ATRIO of livestock auctioneers are celebrating the end of a successful cycle challenge in which they have raised thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK.

Andy Clements, James Wotton and Jamie Batt, who all work at Sedgemoor Auction Centre, swapped the sale ring for the saddle and cycled 230 miles around the Greenslade Taylor Hunt offices in Somerset, Devon and Dorset.

Mr Clements said: “Travelling across Exmoor from Minehead to South Molton was one of the toughest legs, which we were expecting, but the scale of some of the hills pushed us to our limits.

“It was on Exmoor and the first day when we remarkably had our one and only accident when James didn’t make it all the way through a ford, and also our one and only puncture that resulted from the same ford.”

Despite the inauspicious start, the group managed to complete the challenge in three-and-a-half days – half a day ahead of schedule.

Starting in Taunton on November 5, the ‘Tour of GTH’ headed across Exmoor from Williton to Minehead before continuing to South Molton on the first day. The challenge also crossed the Blackdown and Mendip hills – taking in Tiverton, Honiton, Chard, Ilminster, Dorchester, Sherborne, Yeovil, Langport, Wells, Burnham-on-Sea and Bridgwater – before ending at Sedgemoor on November 9.

All three were at work the next day with no plans for further cycling forays.

Mr Clements is one of the dairy and calf auctioneers and is based at Sedgemoor. Mr Wotton also sells the calves as well as the fodder at Sedgemoor, and has recently moved to the Honiton office, handling a large amount of professional work.

Mr Batt works out of the Yeovil office, covering a large area for professional work and is on the sheep section selling breeding rams every Saturday at Sedgemoor.

To support the campaign, which currently stands at more than £4,500, visit www.justgiving.com/GTHcycle.

Andy Clements, James Wotton and Jamie Batt outside the Honiton office of Greenslade Taylor Hunt