Owners of land and property in Cornwall are now able to sell online through a new digital service launched this month by the largest land and property auction house in the south.

Clive Emson Auctioneers Online complements the firm's live auctions held every six weeks at five venues from Cornwall to Essex, including properties in Falmouth, Truro and Newquay.

Lots from the property listings are sold upon the 'fall' of the electronic gavel, with bids placed via smartphones, other handheld electronic devices and desktop/laptop computers. Sellers pick a reserve price, a finishing date and time which suits them.

Bidders, who must first undergo statutory anti-money laundering checks, can download each lot's legal documents, then make offers in the run up to the cut-off date and time. Once the clock has reached zero, the highest bid is accepted if it is above reserve.

As in a live auction, the fall of the gavel means immediate purchase and exchange, with completion within 28 days and all of the legal responsibilities that entails.

To further benefit sellers, there is a time extension of 15 minutes if there is a flurry of bids in the last five minutes to the original cut-off time. This deters multiple bidders from holding back until the last moment.

Managing director, James Emson, said: "The online auction platform means we can reach out to vendors and buyers across England and Wales who cannot make our live auctions and it also gives everyone peace of mind because we are a well-regarded, trusted market leader with 27 years' experience.

"At the heart of our new digital service, Clive Emson Auctioneers Online, is transparency - everyone knows what is going on at the click of a button, 24/7."

Representatives of Clive Emson Auctioneers will carry out on-site valuations and arrange for legal packs to be made available electronically.