THE death of Sir Terry Wogan was particularly poignant for one Salisbury-based auctioneer who spent 26 years conducting the Children-in-Need auctions on Radio 2 with the broadcaster.

Paul Viney, chairman of Woolley and Wallis salerooms, worked with Sir Terry from 1984 to 2010, leading the fundraising auctions every November.

"It was a wonderful experience to appear live on Radio 2 every year for over quarter of a century" Paul told the Journal.

"Working with Terry was an absolute joy. Of course he was the consummate professional but above all he made it huge fun.

"We got on extremely well both on and off air and over the years sold everything from lunch with Sir Roger Moore, to tea at 10 Downing Street with Maggie Thatcher and an all-expenses paid trip to Las Vegas to see a Tom Jones concert and have dinner with him afterwards; and the best part was in doing so we raised over £5 million for Children-in-Need.

"Our most expensive item was for the opportunity to have Katie Melua and Aled Jones come and sing at your private party for which someone paid a remarkable £250,000.

"I feel that I have lost a good friend and will always be grateful for the opportunity of working with such a lovely man."

Sir Terry, who visited Salisbury in January 1976, to open a store in the Old George Mall, also visited the city last March for a television show on local food.

During his trip, he tried lardy cakes and Magna Carta chutney as well as Wiltshire paella and local sausages. He visited Salisbury Museum and met the Salisbury Giant, learning about feast days and also how best to cook faggots, from Pritchetts butchers.

The same day he tried a curry near Stonehenge and visited a watercress farm in Broad Chalke.

Keith Hitchings from Chalke Valley Watercress said: "It's terribly sad. When he came he was an absolute delight.

"We were all really taken by him."

During his visit, he tried watercress lasagne and watercress juice.

"It's become a bit of a standing joke," Mr Hitchings said.

"Our neighbour had said she makes this lovely watercress juice so on the day of filming, we quickly rushed over and collected some for Terry to try.

"When they were filming, he tried it and asked me what was in it. I didn't know so just said watercress.

"And he replied, 'yes, well, it could do with a drop of vodka in it'.

"How he was on TV was how he was off TV.

"To hear the news, less than a year after he came to visit, is very sad."

Sir Terry died on Sunday morning after a short battle with cancer.