A last-minute chance to buy the perfect festive treat for the family brought some spirited bidding as turkeys, chickens, geese and ducks were auctioned off in the final few days before Christmas.

Eastern Daily Press: The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016 (Image: Archant 2016)

Seasonal poultry auctions were held across the region this week, including at Swaffham Raceway, Norwich Livestock Market and at Keys' saleground in Aylsham.

But the final sale before Christmas was held in Diss, where T W Gaze held its Christmas poultry show and sale on Thursday with 266 oven-ready and rough-plucked birds going under the hammer under the auspices of auctioneer Edward Baskerville and his assistant Mike Sarson.

Eastern Daily Press: The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016 (Image: Archant 2016)

The sale hall was packed with more than 100 people as the bidding started for the birds, which had come from local suppliers, and saw incremental bids of either a £1 or £2.

The biggest turkey of the sale was a 26lb 12oz bird from M & C Binder Ltd of Rumburgh Farm, Halesworth and which sold for £50.

Eastern Daily Press: The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Judge Chris Mobbs with the best in show turkey from Pond Farm ThrandestonByline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Judge Chris Mobbs with the best in show turkey from Pond Farm ThrandestonByline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016 (Image: Archant 2016)

Early in the auction there were strong murmurs from the large crowd when an oven-ready bronze turkey weighing 17lb and 4oz went for £92.

The auction also saw guinea fowl sold, with the first one weighing 4lb 2oz selling for £17.

Eastern Daily Press: The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016 (Image: Archant 2016)

The average price for oven ready turkeys was £2.94 per lb compared to £2.13 per lb last year.

The T W Gaze show and sale at the firm's Roydon Road site saw Chris Mobbs of Cratfield-based P A Mobbs and Son act as the judge for the night. His farm also provided some of the guinea fowl for the auction.

Eastern Daily Press: The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016 (Image: Archant 2016)

The team that organized the sale and show was Dan Woods, Scott Parke, Tom Miller, Sally Pratt and Jenna Goodall Browne, who said: 'Early on in the evening we couldn't fit anymore people into the room and there hordes of people outside the doorways jostling to bid on their Christmas dinner.

'There was a 100pc sale success with prices up on last year.'

Eastern Daily Press: The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016 (Image: Archant 2016)

Award winners:

Supreme and Champion Turkey: Rough plucked 25lb 8oz bronze from Mr I Colchester from Pond Farm, Thrandeston, which sold for £48

Eastern Daily Press: The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016 (Image: Archant 2016)

Reserve Champion Turkey: Oven ready 16lb 8oz bronze yurkey from Mr Colchester, which sold for £50

Champion Goose: Oven ready 15lb goose from Mr D Chapman of Carr Farm, Burgh St Peter

Eastern Daily Press: The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016The annual TW Gaze turkey and poultry auction 2016 in Diss.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2016 (Image: Archant 2016)

Reserve Champion Goose: Oven ready 17lb 8oz goose from Mrs Hancy of Whitehouse Farm, Banham

Champion Chicken: Rough plucked 12lb 4oz Chicken from Mr D Aves of Bressingham

Reserve Champion Chicken: Rough plucked 14lb Chicken from Mr D Aves of Bressingham

Champion Duck: Rough plucked 7lb 8oz Duck from Mr Wharton of Blo' Norton

Reserve Champion Duck: Rough plucked 6lb 8oz Duck from Mr Wharton