One of the youngest antiques auctioneers in the country has picked up the gavel at Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester.

Devonian Piers Critchlow (25) cut his teeth on antiques at Potburys in Sidmouth, where he started as a 17-year-old porter, lugging antique furniture and fragile ceramics around the sale room.

And after two years as an auctioneer and valuer with the firm, he's won a role supporting Moore Allen's senior auctioneer and valuer Philip Allwood.

Philip said: “It’s great to have Piers on the team. With his youthful enthusiasm he’s making a great contribution.”

Piers came from a family involved in the antiques trade, but he studied civil engineering at Plymouth University before heading to his local auction house.

Piers said: "I'm delighted to have been given the opportunity to join Philip and the team at Moore Allen & Innocent. I can't wait to get on the rostrum.”

And when he does, he'll have to get used to the limelight.

TV crews from Flog It, Cash In The Attic, Antiques Road Trip, and Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is are frequent visitors to the Cirencester sale room.

For more information about buying and selling antiques at auction, log on to www.mooreallen.co.uk