More than a hundred years of heritage and tradition went under the hammer as the last memories of the Silver Cross factory - home of the Rolls-Royce of prams - were sold to the highest bidders.

Hundreds travelled from as far away as Bristol to see the 125-year-old Guiseley factory for one last time.

The prestigious pram manufacturer, with an impressive list of celebrity and Royal buyers, had its machinery, products and equipment auctioned at the Otley Road factory last Thursday.

Silver Cross, known all over the world for its traditional, coach-built prams, went into receivership in September following financial irregularities involving £3million at its parent firm The Design Company, in Manchester.

The bidding began at 11am as hundreds piled into the former assembly room, some waving, some nodding and others phoning in bids.

The car park was full and Back Lane was even more over-stretched than usual with lots of people travelling from across the country for the event. The build-up to the starting time was electric, the room was buzzing with eager entrants and anxious dealers.

Auctioneers Weatherall Green and Smith were conducting the proceedings with immaculate precision. More than a thousand items were on sale, from drills and sewing machines to finished pushchairs and historic pictures.

The venue was draughty and cold and buckets were placed around the room to catch the drips from the leaky roof. But it didn't deter the hungry crowds who were hoping to catch a bargain.

The first items up for grabs were some steel pallet racking, with bidding starting at £20 and ending at £50.

Though the initial items, including bending machines and welders, did not seem exciting to the average man on the street, the bids came flooding in fast and furious. One minute no-one was willing to initiate the bidding and the next bids reaching the thousand pound mark were being thrown at the auctioneer.

Kevin Butterworth, of KB Rewinds, in Stanningley, said: "I was interested in the lifters and the electrical equipment on offer.

"It was eerie looking at the empty lockers that were used by some of the people who will have worked here most of their lives. It was a very sad thing to see."

Geoff Coates, of Ex-pressed Steel Panels Ltd, in Cowling, said: "I was looking for machinery which may help in my manufacturing processes. It was interesting looking around the site."

Auctioneer Mark Weston started the first auction of machinery and tools downstairs and shortly after John Roebuck began the auction of fabric cutting equipment, computers and products in the factory's former canteen upstairs. Memorabilia of old aerial pictures of the site in its full glory, before it sold some of its land for housing, were auctioned off. Most sold for as little as £10, but many people felt they would be collectors items in the future.

Peter Green, of Menston, said: "I would have liked to have had one of the pictures, but they were very large. I think they will be collectors items because when all the stock and machinery has gone from the factory, they will be the only lasting memories of it."

Other popular items included a framed Silver Cross 1930s advertising poster and a three-wheeled pushchair. The pushchairs and carrycots were sold by private treaty with individual offers accepted on them.

More unusual items sold were 11 concrete bike stands for £20 and two clocking-in machines for £40.

One professional bidder, from Pontefract, who did not wish to be named, said: "I travel to auctions professionally, and coming to Silver Cross in these circumstances is very sad as it is an industry name.

"It was just one of many places that couldn't compete with foreign imports. I went to the auction of its parent company, the Design Company, the week before and that was sparkling and new. "Everything was brand new. Silver Cross was well-established and the equipment and items sold have a lot more character."

A separate auction was held in the afternoon to sell the company's vehicles, including four transit vans and an Audi.

Lots of people came for one last look at the old factory. Maureen Scott, from Bristol, said: "It is heartbreaking that the factory has closed. It is a very sad day. I remember when my children were younger Silver Cross was the Rolls-Royce of prams.

"My son came to the auction to look at some of the machinery. It is scary to think of all the people who have spent most of their lives working here and now it has come to this."

Receivers Deloitte and Touche had to make 125 redundancies at the factory and will be closing it next week.

The factory is leasehold so another business could move into it in the future.

The Silver Cross name has been sold to Lancashire firm David Halsall International, which has vowed to keep the brand name alive and will continue designing and developing the product.

The prestigious firm, which was often described as the 'Rolls-Royce' of pram makers, has had a selection of famous customers from the Royal family and Prime Minister Tony Blair to Mick Jagger, Robert De Niro and Madonna.

Silver Cross was founded in Hunslet, Leeds, in 1877 and gained its name when it moved to Silver Cross Street in 1898.

It moved to Guiseley in 1936 and its production expanded to 35,000 prams and buggies a year.

Silver Cross has had a chequered history in recent years including cutting its 500 workforce to 250 in 1997 and suffering £4million worth of debts in 1999.