A HOUSE once owned by the man who inspired James Herriot is on the verge of being sold for more than £2m.

Southwoods Hall, in Thirlby, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, has been on the market for three weeks.

Estate agents said yesterday that an offer of "in excess of £2m" had been accepted for the seven-bedroom house, which lies in 72 acres of North Yorkshire Moors National Parkland.

The hall was home to vet Donald Sinclair and his wife Audrey for 50 years. Donald was the inspiration for the character Siegfried Farnon in the James Herriot books, which were later made into films and a television series, All Creatures Great and Small.

The property was bought by Patrick and Louise Wilkinson in 1999 for £850,000. They have carried out renovations, spending about £1m creating a contemporary style within the house, which now boasts a 40ft kitchen and a home cinema.

Tim Blenkin, from York estate agents, Blenkin & Co, said: "There has been a lot of interest from various sources. There were four or five serious bidders but an offer in excess of £2m has been accepted.

"It has sold very quickly because it is a very special house and we had bids within a week of it going on the market."

The Herriot books, written by Thirsk vet Alf Wight, made the area famous and the house's ballroom once hosted a huge party thrown by Donald for the cast of the film, It Shouldn't Happen To A Vet.

Donald's character, Siegfried Farnon, was played by Robert Hardy in the TV series. He once stayed at the hall for a week, during which time the two forged a firm friendship.

The Sinclairs bought the 17th Century house in 1945. When Audrey and Donald died within months of each other in 1995, it was rented out for four years and then sold to Mr and Mrs Wilkinson.