Several hundred acres of the Norfolk broads have gone on sale for the first time in two centuries.

The Hickling Broad Estate, which has been in the ownership of the Mills family since the early 19th century, is on the market for £2.3m - roughly the same price as a three-bed apartment in London.

It is the largest broad and an important nature reserve with some of the UK's rarest wildlife and plenty of deer.

The area is also popular with birdwatchers as the broad plays host to common cranes, march harriers, bearded tits, the odd barn owl, and kingfishers.

It is unclear how any sale would affect the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, which owns part of the estate and is also a tenant of the land.

A spokesman for the trust said: 'Hickling Broad is a major wetland nature reserve of national significance and vital to Norfolk's wildlife.

'Norfolk Wildlife Trust owns a substantial amount of the estate and has been a long-term tenant of much of the rest of the estate including the majority of the land that is for sale.

'The sale has only been announced today and Norfolk Wildlife Trust will be exploring all options.'

The property is on the market as a whole or in five lots.