MORE than half a million pounds worth of property in the Cambridge region was auctioned away on Wednesday with March’s old Buttercup day nursery one of the buildings sold.

The five-bedroom, grade II listed building, which housed the popular day nursery, sold for a song at �180,000.

It was bought by a lady who runs a day nursery company so it looks set to make a return as one of March’s children’s nurseries.

Out of the 18 properties and lots on offer at Cheffins auctioneers on Wednesday, September 26, seven were from Ely and March.

And six of these seven were immediately snapped up by private bidders demonstrating that bargain hunters are still out there and interested in the region.

Simon Gooderham, director and auctioneer at Cheffins said: “We had probably 80 people attending the auction on the day so the auction room was full.

“There were also over 200 legal packs downloaded which is a good indication of the amount of interest we had prior to the auction.”

The Buttercup building includes an entrance hall with period brick floor, three reception rooms, study and a kitchen with five bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor.

Outside is a quarter of an acre of land including entrance gates leading to a gravelled driveway next to front and rear gardens.

Also under the hammer was the former Chish and Fips fish shop on the corner of Hitches Street and Wellington Street in Littleport.

The ex-takeaway shop was bought for �100,000 by building developers who are expected to convert the prominent town centre takeaway into residential units.

Mr Gooderham said there was strong bidding particularly for farmland and amenity land.

He said: “The land market has been increasing over the last three years with interest from both farmland owners and amenity and lifestyle buyers.”