HUNDREDS of people turned out with their personal treasures at The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, today (March 12) in the hope of featuring in the new series of Flog It!

Eager participants braved the cold to queue for the popular BBC One show earlier this morning (March 12) as presenter, Paul Martin, warmed up the crowd for a busy day.

Producers said they expected up to 800 valuations throughout the day, with some items such as a Victorian clock and a 1920s teddy bear already catching their eye.

North-East residents of all ages travelled far and wide for the event with the oldest being 103-year-old Edith Scott, who travelled from Stockton to have a jug and embroidered postcards that she has had for more than 70 years, valued.

Brenda Churchman, 66, of Darlington, brought along a Winterhalder Hofmeier bracket clock, while Jennifer Priestley, of Staindrop, was hoping to find out how much her Victorian necklace made from pigs blood and compressed sawdust was worth after she inherited it from her mother, Connie Metcalfe.

Participants were seated in the impressive surroundings of the museum’s main art gallery and slowly worked their way up the queue to get that all important valuation from one of the experts which included Elizabeth Talbot, Paul Laidlaw and Barnard Castle’s very own David Harper.

Mr Martin said he was really excited to be back in the region after visiting the museum twice before about six years ago and thanked the public for coming.

“We have never held a valuation day here but what a treasure it is,” he said.

“Everyone is in such good spirits considering they had to stand outside but they are all quite jolly and it’s always important to have members of the general public because it’s about them and they keep the programme alive.”

Mr Harper also said he was thrilled that the series had decided to visit his home town.

“It’s really rare for me to be filming so close to home because I often have to drive five to six hours,” he said.

“You could not get a better location for this and actually you forget just how wonderful this place is so we are very lucky to have it.”

The lucky participants filmed for the series will go to auction in Cumbria on April 9.