AN auction of Lord Leverhulme's antiques collection, expected to raise more than £5 million, has been postponed because of the foot and mouth crisis.

The sale at the Bolton-born industrialist's home at Thornton Manor, on the Wirral, has been put back from May 15-17 to June 26-28.

Auction house Sotheby's decided on the postponement because there was a risk of spreading the disease to the rural area.

Hundreds of paintings, furniture and ornaments are up for sale after the third Viscount died last year at the age of 85, leaving three daughters, but no son to carry the title.

Lord Leverhulme, who was born in Wood Street in 1851, has been called "one of the great collectors in art history".

He founded his soap company with his brother James Darcy Lever and after making his fortune spent thousands of pounds on antiques over 40 years.

Thornton Manor is also up for sale and is expected to fetch £3.5 million. It is not known if the sale of the house will be affected by foot and mouth.