Local pub managers buy Catworth's Racehorse inn

Pub managers Chris and Shirley Cooke have bought the Racehorse country inn and restaurant in the Cambridgeshire village of Catworth.

They most recently managed the Old Friar in Twywell, Northamptonshire, just 10 miles away.

The Racehorse is believed to date back to the 1890s and retains period features such as the original beams, a wood-panelled bar front and a stone fireplace.

The business includes five en-suite letting bedrooms in a converted barn, a function room, three-bedroom owners' accommodation, a beer patio and a car park.

The Racehorse has built up a reputation for the real ale and home-cooked food served in the 20-seat bar and 70-seat restaurant and the new owners have added weekend carveries to the menu.

Acting for David and Julie Gibson, the Ipswich office of Christie + Co sold the property off a guide price of £89,500 for the remainder of a 20-year free-of-tie lease from 2002.

By Angela Frewin