A WHITCHURCH estate agent has been lifting the spirits of his fellow business owners through lockdown by launching a local business raffle.

Saul Mellor, who runs Get Moving Estate Agents, launched the free competition on his businesses' Facebook page as a way of helping to introduce his fellow traders to a potentially wider audience and put a face to the name.

People who entered the raffle had the chance to win various prizes from businesses around town, including Gallery Flowers, Lorna's House and Bluewater.

Saul said the aim of the raffle was to help businesses promote themselves ahead of the lockdown easing.

"I worried for all my friends who own loads of local businesses in town whose many customers haven't been able to use their services properly for some time," said Saul.

"We have a huge following on our Get Moving Estate Agents Facebook page so I wanted to use that to help them get off to a flying start with lockdown easing.

"They were all so generous with the prizes they offered and it's something we will organise with many more businesses in a few month’s time.

"Prizes were drawn via video onto Facebook in the shops to help put a business owner name to a face."