Bids for tickets

Bids on internet auction site Ebay for lifetime tickets for two people to visit Holkham Hall and gardens have closed with the winning bidder paying just £82.

Bids on internet auction site Ebay for lifetime tickets for two people to visit Holkham Hall and gardens have closed with the winning bidder paying just £82.

Gillian Taylor bought the tickets for her son Alan Taylor and his wife Ocean who live at Hemblington.

“They love Holkham,” she said. “They are always up there, on the beach and I thought I would get it as a Christmas present but as they are expecting their first baby in August I am now going to give it to them straight away.”

She said she was surprised that she managed to get the tickets for such a bargain price. With adult admission currently £10 per person to visit the hall and bygones museum, the couple will have to visit just over four times for the tickets to have paid for themselves.

“I thought it would have gone for at least £200,” she said. “I just hope they enjoy it and will make good use of it.”

Holkham was one of a number of country homes taking part in the auction on the TopLots section of Ebay and funds raised will be used to pay for restoration work or new projects.

At Holkham there is an ongoing programme of restoration at the hall and a new project is under way to create an education centre to be housed in the old pottery that closed down last year.

Other heritage lots up for bids include a private recital at St Paul's Cathedral, tour of the Tower of London and meet historian Dan Snow, or fire a second world war British howitzer.