"Clothing -- man's size,'' calls out auctioneer Leonard O. Gibbons as a Customs officer behind him lifts a pair of trousers high in the air.

In this case, man-size translates to `might have been worn by the not-so-slim version of Eddie Murphy's Nutty Professor'.

"Those are awnings,'' shouts out one of the 40 or so bargain hunters gathered at Number Six Passenger Terminals for H.M. Customs annual auction. Still, the three boxes of hefty-wear still manage to draw $180.

Such was the scene at the annual auction, where items which have been stored at H.M. Queen's warehouse after being left unclaimed due to unpaid duty are sold off to the highest bidder.

The auction ran from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. yesterday and some 250 items were on the block. The auction is open to the general public and many local businesses also attend in search of deals.

Paint, jewellery, lawnmowers, cigarettes and gin, furniture, CD players, toys, doors and countertops -- all found themselves pandered to savvy shoppers.

In the odd supply and demand world of the auction, a carton of binders can draw $16 while a gold ring only fetches one dollar, with more being sold at $17.

Two young men sparred goodnaturedly yesterday for an engagement ring and matching wedding band. The bidding started at $17 -- $18, $20, $25 -- and was gradually driven up to $70 by the aspiring grooms-to-be.

Those people who found their belongings on the auction block had the option of going down and paying the duty owed and storage costs to reclaim their goods right up until the point they were declared "sold''.

And the auctioneer had to declare several items "withdrawn'' for just that reason. "I don't like to hear that word,'' said Mr. Gibbons. "Costs me money.'' Freddie's Pub in St. George's managed to secure six doors and frames for just $70, but Heel Sew Quik must have been disillusioned when a store representative paid $1200 for a monitor and keyboard on which bidding started at $20.

There were no takers at all on six Cable and Wireless diaries for this year although Mr. Gibbons jokingly offered them at "one third off because the year's one third over.'' Bargain hunters took home a set of stainless steel pots for $120, waterproofing paint for $50, a CD player -- or "Third World briefcase'' -- for $60 among other items.

Six cartons of cigarettes fetched $40, while three cartons of cigarettes and two bottle's of Gordon's Gin drew $50.

Mr. Gibbons said that the auction used to be a bi-annual event but he suggested it be changed to an annual undertaking to avoid goods piling up in storage.

"Most everything ends up selling,'' said Mr. Gibbons of the event which he thought raised roughly $15,000 to $20,000 for the Government yesterday.

Bargain bidding: Unidentified Customs officers hold up some of the goods which went on the block yesterday at the Customs services annual auction, held at the Number Six Passenger Terminal.