Can I have your autograph please?

We all want a bit of our heroes and the closest most of us will get is to have their autograph. Which is how Danny Mitchell started his business. "I've been into autographs ever since I was a nipper," he says in his shop, Signed Collectables, in Eldon Square, Newcastle. "I was always chasing round St James' Park getting the players to sign."

It was something he forgot about until he got to know Pauline and Bill Godward, who formerly had the business and who rekindled his enthusiasm.

"Bill is really the godfather of autographs," says wife Pauline, who has come into the shop clutching a wonderful autograph book from the 1920s that someone wants Bill to authenticate.

"Bill started when one of the children was ill and he promised her a signed photo of the Osmonds to cheer her up. When he got that, he seemed to get the autograph hunting bug."

At one time, he had the biggest collection of autographs in Britain and helped compile the Guinness Book of World Autographs.

Danny did some autograph hunting for the Godwards and for charity - a signed picture of a star footballer can raise a small fortune at a charity auction. And now he runs the business with Pauline, with the bonus of Bill's expertise and advice.

"That's the difficult thing with autographs, knowing that they're authentic," says Danny.

Which is why there are lots of photos in the shop of Danny hobnobbing with the rich and famous. Not that he's a show off, but to prove he's actually talked to these people.

The most sought after autograph is that of Shakespeare.

"Only six known in the world," says Pauline "So we're talking millions."

But not far behind are The Beatles.

"Anything signed by all four Beatles is like gold dust now," says Danny. "And the problem is that even if you have the four signatures, the chances are they're not genuine. The Beatles had so many requests for autographs that often their staff would sign for them. Finding the genuine article is very difficult."

But they have Elvis, a photo and record in a presentation frame for £1,500. A youthful Rolling Stones when Brian Jones was still alive and part of the line up, costs £1,150. And Laurel and Hardy are £1,000.

"It always surprises me when young people ask for Laurel and Hardy, who were dead long before they were born. But they're just as keen as older people," says Danny.

Most popular in the shop are signed, framed pictures of the Newcastle players at £30 a go. "And Alan Shearer is our most popular by far."

Being in the centre of Newcastle, there are no pictures of Sunderland players. But otherwise the shop is a weird and wonderful mix. It's strong on sports and film stars, with a few surprises too. For example, there's a piece of spy writer John Le Carre's handwritten manuscript framed with a picture for £280, the autographs of five prime ministers together, Charlie Chaplin, the stars of Red Dwarf, film posters signed by Michael Caine.

"Sometimes you're buying a piece of history," says Danny.

There's a picture of the battle of Waterloo along with a piece of the Duke of Wellington's writing.

For a couple of thousand pounds, you could have a copy of the Daily Mirror for July 1969 announcing "Man on the Moon" - signed by all the astronauts involved.

"I've got really interested in the history of space exploration since I started getting these autographs. We've got them all, including the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, and the first woman, Valentina Tereshkova," says Danny.

If there's an autograph you really want, they'll try to get it for you. And, of course, they've always got a special present for friends and family.

"For my dad's last birthday, I got him a card signed by Brigitte Bardot," says Danny.

Just as long as he didn't want Shakespeare. Or The Beatles.

* Signed Collectables is at 2 Newgate, Eldon Square, Newcastle (At the entrance opposite The Gate). Tel: 0191-230 3533.

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