VINTAGE steam engines and trucks worth millions of pounds will be arriving today to take part in the biggest event of its kind in the North-East.

About 600 exhibits will be on display and some will be working at the three-day Barnard Castle Steam Fair, now in its tenth year, in fields at Streatlam outside the County Durham town.

Haulage operator John Toulson, who organises the event, will have two of his steam tractors on show - a 1919 model valued at £150,000 and a 1933 model worth £350,000.

Mr Toulson, who lives at Middleton-in-Teesdale, said: "A lot of the exhibits will be worth even more. People are putting their money into vintage tractors these days rather than sticking it in a bank. These models are a better investment."

His steam tractors were used years ago to haul trees out of forests.

Another of the exhibits, used by a showman decades ago to provide power for fairground rides, is believed to be worth more than £800,000.

Mr Toulson said: "It is impossible to state the total value of all the pieces we will have on our site. But with 600 of them the figure certainly runs into tens of millions of pounds.

We will have a large security team on duty to ensure they are all kept safely."

One exhibitor will be Sheila Dibnah, widow of Fred, the lumberjack and steam roller enthusiast who became a television star.

She is travelling from Bolton, Lancashire, to put some of her husband's memorabilia on display.

Mr Dibnah showed his steam engines twice at the fair and became friends with Mr Toulson, who said: "Sheila is coming because Fred loved coming here. I believe she may be willing to sell some of the items she is bringing."

About 2,000 enthusiasts will be living in caravans at the fair over the holiday weekend.

Mr Toulson started the fair after showing some of his steam equipment at Middleton-in-Teesdale carnival.

They attracted so much attention that he put on an event for those owned by himself and friends.

It was so successful that it became an annual event and has grown steadily. He runs the fair with his daughter Hayley, 24, and with help from his wife Brenda, other daughter Janice and son David.