A BIDDING battle to buy Skipton's county Court has begun.

More than 200 brochures have been sent out to prospective purchasers after the building was advertised for sale in the Craven Herald on Friday.

Jeff Crabtree, associate director of Dacre, Son and Hartley, told the Herald: "There has been far more interest than we expected, and we have already had to reprint our brochure twice.

"It is a very unusual building. Obviously it is used as a court at the moment, and any different use would require planning permission. We might be surprised what it turns into next."

Mr Crabtree declined to disclose the guide price, but said all tenders would be forwarded to the Court Service once the deadline of May 30 had passed.

The building on Otley Street is currently scheduled for listing and incorporates a court room, judge's chambers and general office facilities.

Margaret Henry, the county court manager, said that the move to the magistrates' court was due to take place on May 22 and 23, and it would re-open for business on May 28. She said that cases listed for May 15 and 22 would be heard at Keighley.

In the future the county court would hear cases every Thursday, and every other Wednesday, using one of the two courts in the magistrates' building.