AN EMERGENCY operation to save High Wycombe's very first fire engine has been scuppered by a private collector.
Veteran firefighter Harry Holloway was outbid at a Christie's auction in his valiant quest to keep a piece of High Wycombe history.
The rare 1920 Dennis engine eventually fetched a finishing price of nearly £17,000, well in excess of the £5,000 predicted by Christie's.
A private collector from the North East will now look after the engine, which is one of the few remaining left in the world. Mr Holloway, who served for 25 years in High Wycombe, told the Free Press that it was almost impossible to compete with the financial clout of the collector.
He admitted: "I'm disappointed. It's a shame it's found a home so far away from High Wycombe.
"My feeling is that we could have gone with £30,000 and still not come away with it."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article