Neil McCleary is celebrating 60 continuous years as an auctioneer at Longtown Mart.
And last Tuesday, prior to the weekly store lamb sale, an assembled company of colleagues, customers, farmers and friends congratulated him on the achievement.
Neil, of Corries Mill, Gretna, left school at age 15 and immediately commenced work with the Longtown auctioneers. Over the years he has built up the trade at the mart to the position it holds today, with the largest sheep throughput in the UK. His reputation for fair-dealing and hard work has served him in good stead and he continues actively as senior auctioneer, selling many thousand store lambs each week.
Mart chairman, John Thomson, said a few words and a presentation was made by Michael Hall. Neil then continued with the sale.
