Ashby record store auctions off 40,000 albums

The Attic closed in August and its stock of 40,000 records and CDs have now been sold

A recently closed record store has sold its collection of more than 40,000 albums and music memorabilia in an "unusual" auction.

The Attic in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, shut in August when its owner could not find someone to take over the business.

Ben Duncombe sold his entire stock at an auction held in the shop and picked up more than £13,400.

The 36-year-old said selling up "was a really hard decision" to make.

"I started selling records at car boots sales and stuff like that, and it just kept getting bigger until I opened the store," he said.

A bodhrán - an Irish drum - apparently signed by the band U2 sold for £110

The life-long record collector said he was tempted to keep some of the vinyl stock himself.

"I had to dissociate myself from it a few weeks ago" he added.

"There was a Lynyrd Skynyrd record I thought 'I'd quite like to take that' but then I just had to leave it.

"There's some great 7" records too....and a whole Northern Soul section that I know's really valuable. Some of it's never been played."

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Items included 19 LPs and a 12" single by David Bowie which sold for £160, and 41 LPs and 110 7" singles by The Beatles which sold for £220.

A collection of LPs and 7" singles by the Rolling Stones, The Who and Status Quo made £190, but a drumhead signed by members of Coldplay only fetched £20.

Hundreds of bids were made for the records which were auctioned in the store

Mr Duncombe opened The Attic in 2015, but decided to close it to prioritise his family.

After the auction a spokesman for Richard Winterton Auctioneers, said it "was really successful".

"It was a bit of an unusual sale for us," he added.

The Attic was based above the covered market in Ashby