Woodland haven sells for £186,000

An ancient woodland in Suffolk which went under the hammer yesterday was sold for £26,000 more than expected. Abbey and Packway Wood, a tranquil wildlife haven just outside Flixton, near Bungay, was bought for £186,000.

An ancient woodland in Suffolk which went under the hammer yesterday was sold for £26,000 more than expected.

Abbey and Packway Wood, a tranquil wildlife haven just outside Flixton, near Bungay, was bought for £186,000.

Part of the 53-acre woodland, which is home to oak trees, wild flowers and even red deer, dates back to the 1600s.

It was sold by the Danby family, from Beccles, at Durrants auction rooms in the town, after they agreed they did not visit it as much as in previous years.

Angus Hanton, director of Woodland Investment Management which bought the land, said the future of the site was in safe hands.

“We buy a lot of woods around the country,” he said. “We haven't thought about what to do with it yet but we will certainly protect it as an ancient woodland.”

He said that some woods are bought by the company as a long-term investment, some are bought for use by conservation groups, and others are sold on.

The majority of the land is already covered by its status as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, but Mr Hanton added: “If we

ever sold it we would add another layer of protection to it.”

Former part-owner George Danby, 85, who still has the happy memories of family

picnics in the woods to hold on to, said: “I'm pleased with the price, especially as houses

aren't selling very well these days. It's for my children

really.”