A collection of farming machinery and bygones is set to go under the hammer following the death of a passionate and adventurous Suffolk farmer.

The auction, at Cuckoo Tye Farm in Acton near Sudbury, includes tractors, harvesters and vintage equipment amassed by the late Peter Miller, who died in May at the age of 78 after a "long and courageous battle" against motor neurone disease.

Mr Miller was a third generation farmer whose family had lived at the farm since 1911.

He started working the land from the age of 16 and became known as an innovative farmer with a wide range of arable equipment - being a regular visitor to farm machine auctions himself.

He also had an adventurous side, obtaining his private pilot's licence to become an intrepid "flying farmer" in his Cessna 172, for which he built his own landing strip at Cuckoo Tye.

The sale of more than 300 lots features 10 tractors, vehicles, loaders and a combine harvester, as well as a collection of bygones including heavy horse harnesses and an Austin K2 fire engine dating back to the Second World War, but in need of repair.

Mr Miller's widow Elaine said the collection reflected a "life's work well done".

"Peter was passionate about farming," she said. "He also learned to fly a private plane, and he used it to see how other farms were going, and which crops looked good.

"He would never part with anything in case it came in handy somewhere down the line. There are probably more bygones here than anything else - they were all tucked away in hedges and undergrowth, so it will be nice to see some of them restored to how they were."

Eastern Daily Press: The vintage vehicles in the auction include an Austin K2 fire engine dating back to the Second World WarThe vintage vehicles in the auction include an Austin K2 fire engine dating back to the Second World War (Image: Lacy Scott & Knight)

The family's 500 acres of farmland is being retained and farmed by contractors.

Joint auctioneers Peter Crichton and Lacy Scott & Knight said the resulting dispersal auction will "attract buyers from a wide area" and online bidding arrangements will be available for anyone unable to attend the live auction.

  • The Cuckoo Tye Farm auction will be open for viewing on Friday July 30 between midday and 6pm and the sale commences at 10.30am on Saturday July 31. For more details see www.lskauctioncentre.co.uk.

Eastern Daily Press: One of more than 300 lots of farm machinery being auctioned at Cuckoo Tye Farm in Acton near Sudbury on July 31One of more than 300 lots of farm machinery being auctioned at Cuckoo Tye Farm in Acton near Sudbury on July 31 (Image: Lacy Scott & Knight)

Eastern Daily Press: One of more than 300 lots of farm machinery being auctioned at Cuckoo Tye Farm in Acton near Sudbury on July 31One of more than 300 lots of farm machinery being auctioned at Cuckoo Tye Farm in Acton near Sudbury on July 31 (Image: Lacy Scott & Knight)