TWENTY llamas will be included in an auction of agricultural and household items at Little Ash Eco Farm, Throwleigh next week.

The owner of the farm, Dr Marthe Kylie-Worthington and her partner Chris Rendell, are selling up their self-sufficient enterprise to work in Africa.

Timothy Garratt, a partner in Rendell?s Auctioneers, Chagford ? the firm conducting the sale on Saturday, January 25 ? said the lots would attract much interest among potential buyers.

Mr Garratt said Little Ash Eco Farm has been dedicated to the idea of total self-sufficiency.

Dr Kylie-Worthington was now intending to put the experience to good use by providing practical help in Africa.

?The farm used homemade material found on the farm to do everything,? said Mr Garratt, whose partner at Rendells will be taking the auction.

?Dr Kylie-Worthington is going to Africa to show farmers there how they can do this themselves without the use of electricity or oil. She has done it for 14 years at Chagford.

?She has written a book and done lots of demonstrations for which she has received awards. The whole thing is a unified ecological project and it does work,? he said.

Dr Kylie-Worthington has already sold the farm to a local buyer and commissioned Rendell?s to auction the stock and other items.

?Everything is fully organic. The llamas are organic, and there are 40 organic sheep as well as poultry,? said Mr Garratt, who admitted having no idea what the bidding might make, his firm never having auctioned llamas before.

?There are five driving vehicles for horses, organic produce such as hay, household furniture as well as many items of farm machinery, tools and equipment ? and 500 horse shoes.?