A nine-week-old sheepdog puppy has become a world record holder after achieving £7,600 at auction this week.

Lassie is an unbroken puppy, born on March 12 with an unusual lilac colour.

She smashed the previous record of £6,100 for an 11-week-old black and white puppy, Bet.

Lassie was sold by Glynne Jones, of Pentir, near Bangor in Gwynedd at the working dog sale on May 18-19 at Skipton Auction Mart.

Described as a lively, confident and healthy pup, she is a product of outstanding parents, coming from the first litter of pups by Reiver Gray, bred by well-known shepherdess, Emma Gray, now farming on the Isle of Bute.

Lassie’s dam, Graylees Cêt, has been owned and trained by Glynne since being bought as an eight-week-old pup in August, 2014, to lay a very solid foundation for his Pentir Sheepdogs breeding programme.

As well as Lassie, who is from Cêt’s sixth and last litter, the outstanding mother has produced a number of ISDS pedigree pups with Tweeddale Jamie, described as an amazing match from the outset.

Glynne said: “My aim is to breed top quality working sheepdog pups from the best DNA tested bloodlines in the UK. "I’m obviously over the moon.

"Lassie is a dog with everything in my opinion.”

Her new owner is Damian Barson, of Tessleymoor Gundogs. He is a dog behaviourist and gundog trainer based near Preston, who is now taking an increasing interest in sheep farming and seeking a high-class four-legged companion to assist.

Damian said: “I have trained dogs all my life and have my own pack, so I wanted to get the best, a dog with both style and character.

"It was all down to colour and breeding.

"I just had to have the wee pup, though I do think I went a bit wild!”

David Evans, of Penclyn Farm, Brecon, was top of the sale with £13,800 paid for a November, 2017, black and white dog, Pen-y-Borough Spud.

Already boasting multiple trials placings to his name, Buddy fell to American buyers Kellie Herrington and her husband, Terry Dear, who are in Ponder, Texas.

Kellie is a small animal vet who enjoys trialing and Buddy was purchased purposely for her husband to both trial and use at home, where he is currently is raising a small set of Fullblood American Dorper sheep.