Famous movie director Guy Richie has bought an airfield next to his Wiltshire estate. 

Compton Abbas Airfield has been sold by the Hughes family to Ashcombe Estates Ltd, owned and operated by film director Guy Ritchie. 

The airfield neighbours his Wiltshire estate where he already has a brewery to make his Gritichie beer.

The new owners will occupy the airfield from February 1, 2023, and they endeavour to take over the running of the business as seamlessly as possible, continuing to provide café and licenced airfield facilities, which currently offer flying lessons and self-fly hire.

In a statement, the former owners said: "Clive, Margaret, Emma and Laura would like to thank each and every one of you who has visited and been a part of life at the airfield over the last 34 years.

"Selling the airfield has been an incredibly difficult decision to make as it has been the focus of all our lives for so long, and we are certainly going to miss everyone who made our time there so enjoyable.

"However, we feel that now is the right time to hang up our hats, and we are looking forward to seeing some exciting developments unfold under the new owners."

The airfield will continue to operate as normal until the end of January, with an Aero Jumble and Christmas Fly In coming up too.

Events booked for next year will still be honoured, and there is set to be plenty of familiar faces from February onwards, with many of the staff members have been offered positions within the new company.

More information will be placed on our website in due course including information regarding the flying school and experience flights.

Director, Ritchie, brought hit crime films Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels in 1998 and 2000’s Snatch to the big screen.

Previously married to pop superstar Madonna, Ritchie inherited Ashcombe Estate where he once lived with the music icon, after his £50m divorce settlement.

Ritchie, 54, bought the Georgian manor house and estate in the Wiltshire village of Tollard Royal for £9 million with Madonna in 2001 and kept it when their marriage ended seven years later.

He has kept the estate since then and now lives there with his actress and model wife Jacqui Ritchie.

The estate is on the Wiltshire and Dorset border.