OWNERS of country homes in Shropshire and Mid-Wales have until the end of this month to support a major charity fund-raising event that is being organised by a leading fine art auction house for the Shropshire and Mid Wales Hospice.

Richard Allen, director of Halls Fine Art in Shrewsbury, is delighted with the response to the Grand Attic Auction, with 20 vendors stepping forward to date to support the Wednesday, October 22, event.

The 6pm auction will feature 300 lots of antiques, a fine collection of books, works of art, pictures, a selection of silver and ceramics found by Mr Allen in the attics, cellars and boxrooms of country houses in Shropshire, Mid-Wales and Worcester-shire.

Money paid for the lots at the auction will go to the vendors as normal, while Halls Fine Art has agreed to donate half the company's sale commission to the Shropshire and Mid Wales Hospice.

"I'm hoping for a £100,000 sale and already we have raised a good sum for the hospice through commission for the less valuable lots sold in our general sales," said Mr Allen.

"It is working out exactly the way I hoped it would, thanks to the support of prominent country property owners.

"There is still time for other country house owners to support the auction, but they need to contact me before the end of this month if they wish to take part.

"Everything that will be sold in the auction will have come from grand attics and I am looking forward to a fun event with a packed saleroom of people."

An illustrated colour catalogue, costing £5, will be produced for the auction, which will be preceded at 5pm by a drinks reception.

He stressed that only interesting items would be entered in the Grand Attic Auction, while items of lesser value would be consigned to weekly sales run by the company, with the same commission structure to benefit the hospice applying.

Anyone interested in supporting the auction is asked to contact Mr Allen at Halls Fine Art on 01743 231212.