A chapel and church hall attracted an eager congregation at SDL Auctions Graham Penny’s busy auction in Derby, where the total prices raised were the best for a year.

And the bidder who sang the highest notes for the former Methodist chapel and church hall at 10-14 West Street in Swadlincote got the keys to God’s house for £200,000.

It was one of 57 lots sold during the auction on 21 September which secured a success rate of 85 per cent and raised a total of £6.4m.

Andrew Parker, auctioneer and managing director at SDL Auctions Graham Penny, said: “We were really pleased to have such an incredibly busy room which could rival the bigger national London-based auction rooms.

“This was the highest total raised from any auction in Derby since this time last year, which just goes to show how the property market is maintaining its strength.”

The auction saw one end of terrace, three bedroomed house at 6 Shakespeare Street in Sinfin, near Derby, sell particularly well for £78,000 from a guide price of £25,000+.

At Green Bank, 28 Sunny Hill in Milford, an attractive stone-built four bedroomed detached house situated a 0.294 acres plot sold for an impressive £352,000 from a guide price of £250,000+.

Another lot that attracted an impressive final price was a semi-detached, three bedroomed house at 27 Rykneld Road in Littleover, near Derby, based close to the noted Littleover Community School catchment area, which sold for £177,000.

Meanwhile, two other properties that sold for high prices were a two bedroomed terraced house at 6 Hadfield Square in Glossop at £50,000, and a two-bedroomed semi-detached house at 60 Lincoln Avenue in Alvaston at £90,000.

Mr Parker added: “Many properties sold for high prices thanks to attractive guide prices and competitive bidding in the auction room, which shows just how beneficial it can be to sell at auction.”