It has battled snow and ice in Oxford for more than 15 years, but is now set for a new lease of life in the Southern hemisphere.

The 1996 gritting lorry, which will be shipped to South Africa by its new owner, was among a collection of machines ‘retired’ by Oxford City Council and put up for auction on Saturday.

A dustbin lorry, a 25-year-old forklift truck and a Land Rover-mounted cherry picker were also snapped up as hundreds of bidders competed for 113 items.

Just two lots remained unsold at the end of play at the Cowley Marsh depot on Saturday — two street sweepers failing to make their reserve prices.

Park benches fetched between £75 and £100 while ride-on mowers pushed £3,000 on a day where bidding was fierce and absolute bargains seemed tricky to come by.

Jason Vine travelled up from Sussex after hearing about the auction the night before and returned to his commercial-vehicle business with a 1996 Daf tipper lorry and the gritting machine that attaches to it.

Having paid £3,400 plus VAT and charges for the lorry he revealed the plan for its new life.

He said: “This will go abroad to South Africa. We’ll get it exported as soon as possible.”

He added: “I travel around the country going to these auctions. We won’t make a fortune from today but there’s bits and pieces.”

Mr Vine failed to win the 1998 dustbin lorry, which sold for £2,000 plus VAT and charges, but said he expected that too would see a new life abroad.

A selection of Citroen Berlingo vans fetched about £1,500 each while a 1993 Land Rover with a cherry picker sold for £3,200 despite its 96,000 miles.

Marion Belcher, from Marcham, had her eyes on the smaller items and collected a leaf blower for £50 and a metal shed for £100.

She said: “I’ll use the shed for my goats’ feed and the blower is for Marcham Primary School where I’m a supervisor.”

Referring to how she bid for the shed while her husband was in the toilet, she joked: “He went round the corner to spend a penny and when he came back I’d spent £100.”

Auctioneer Mick Blacow said: “It’s been a massive turnout, I think more than 350 people”

Paul Einon, the council’s fleet and maintenance manager, said: “We did the first one of these auctions in 1996 and the last one was 2008, but it all depends on the quantity of items and the replacement programme.

“It’s been a while since the last one because we’ve extended the life of the vehicles.

“I’m delighted with the turnout and every item, except the two sweepers, hit their reserve.”

The total amount raised is set to be announced this week but is likely to be about £30,000.