Around 350 buyers attended a farm dispersal sale near Sudbury — providing a “fitting farewell” to the late owner.

The collection of farming machinery and bygones at Cuckoo Tye Farm in Acton went under the hammer following the death of passionate Suffolk farmer Peter Miller.

The third generation farmer died in May at the age of 78 after a “long and courageous battle” against motor neurone disease.

He worked the land from the age of 16 and became known as an innovative farmer. He was also a regular visitor to farm machine auctions. He also obtained a private pilot’s licence and became an intrepid “flying farmer” in his Cessna 172, for which he built his own landing strip.

The sale of more than 300 lots from the 500-acre family farm featured 10 tractors, vehicles, loaders and a combine harvester, as well as a collection of bygones including heavy horse harnesses and an Austin K2 fire engine dating back to the Second World War.

Joint auctioneers Peter Crichton and Lacy Scott & Knight said high prices were achieved as they offered up more than 300 lots at the sale on Saturday, July 31.

Tractors and farm vehicles highlights from the sale included a John Deere 6140R sold for £38,500, a Massey Ferguson 7620 Dyna 6 (£35,000), an 18ft Case 2388 Combine Harvester (£21,000), JCB Fastrac 185/65 (£15,750), John Deere 6800 (£15,200). John Deere 2140 (£5,600), Caterpillar D7 Crawler Tractor needing repair (£4,700), a Toyota Hilux Pick Up Truck (£4,100), Nuffield Universal 3 Tractor (£3,400), Fordson Super Major (£2,300). Renault Tractor R3041 (£2,800).

Machinery and implements sold included a John Deere 732 Trailed Sprayer (£15,500), 3m Simba Express + ST Bar (£9,100), 4m Pottinger Terrasam 4000 Seed Drill (£9,000), 14t Richard Western Trailer (£8,000), 12t Richard Western Tipping Trailer (£6,800), 5 Furrow Kverneland LB85 Plough (£4,700), 6 Row Matro M41 Sugar Beet Harvester (£4,400), Austin K2/K3 Vintage Fire Engine (£4,000), 12 Row Monosem Meca 2000 Sugar Beet Drill (£4,000), Simba Leading Tine Press (£3,700), McConnell PA93 Hedgecutter (£3,400), 10t Marston Tipping Trailer (£3,200).

Mr Crichton said all in all it was “a highly successful auction and a fitting farewell to Peter Miller”.