Mistletoe event starts with a kiss

The retired couple were among scores of people who attended the first of three mistletoe and holly auctions in Tenbury Wells.

The town on the Shropshire border is regarded as England's capital of mistletoe, and the auctions are attended by wholesale buyers and small shop owners from across the country and beyond.

Yesterday's auction at Burford House Garden Store saw a brisk trade as usual – though the winter has been mild up until this week which saw the year's first proper frost.

Angela Shaw, 45, of Tenbury, was there for another reason however – she was hoping there would be some left going cheap at the end of the day for her son's school.

She was following the bidding closely in the hope that son Thomas Southwell, nine, could have some to take back to Tenbury Primary School.

"It depends how many dealers are here," she said. "If they're down from Scotland, say, they might only want to come down once so that pushes the price up.

"But if it's bad weather they might not come at all, and if they think they think the market is depressed they won't be willing to pay the money."

Paul Price, 40, travelled from Bridgend in South Wales to sell his holly wreaths. Before coming to the auction he had done a 48-hour marathon stint making them, he said.

"People don't understand what goes into it," he said. "There are three parts – first you have to make the base, then the top, and then add decoration. And it's a month's work just gathering."

He said he discovered the Tenbury auctions a few years ago and had been coming ever since as it was a good place to build up contacts and share produce from around the country.

Retired teacher Alan Bailey and his wife Pat, a nurse, said they were there as they ran a small farm shop in Wychbold. They had bought 25 holly wreaths.

Mr Bailey, 56, said: "Actually they're mainly for the family, and then we'll sell a few on to friends."

The next auctions will take place on December 2 and 9.