WORCESTERSHIRE agents Halls have appointed property specialist George Pickard to head up their country house sales.

Mr Pickard, who lives in the Teme Valley in West Worcestershire having recently moved from East Worcestershire, will act as joint head of the residential department alongside Alan Metcalfe, who specialises in the sale of town and village properties.

The third generation of his family to be involved in country house agency, Mr Pickard began his working life in commercial property, brokering office deals in London’s West End.

He later attended the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, where he was awarded the accolade of top student for his year before heading to the Worcestershire country house market with Humberts - now Halls.

For the past five years, he has been working for Knight Frank, based in Worcester.

Rob Champion, partner at Halls, said: “This is a major appointment for us, as we see the country house market as being an integral part of our business in which, historically as both Halls and Humberts, we have been very strong.”

Halls has offices in Worcestershire and the South West Midlands, Shropshire, and mid-Wales.