THE largest collection of Dinky toys to come on to the UK market is to be sold in the North-East later this year.

Dealers and collectors from all over the world are expected to bid for the Kennerley Collection at Teesside auction house Vectis, in Thornaby, on Wednesday and Thrusday, May 8 and 9.

The collection, which is made up of more than 3,000 items, was built up over 50 years by the former chief executive of Vernons Pools, John Kennerley, who lives in Sydney, Australia.

Mr Kennerley began collecting the toys, given as hand-me-downs, during the Second World War.

As he got older and Dinky started to produce a toy a week priced at sixpence each, he really got the collecting bug.

He said: "I used to save my pocket money and buy one every second or third week."

When Mr Kennerley started work he continued to collect toys as they were issued by the Liverpool factory, and he realised he may have missed some.

He said: "There were no toy auctions or swap meets in those days so I just hunted for them where I could."

Bryan Goodall, chairman of Vectis, said: "To see this many Dinkys laid out in one room is exceptional."