Antiques Roadshow hits town

Hundreds of people were today descending on Blists Hill Victorian Town in the Ironbridge Gorge for the filming of BBC1's Antiques Roadshow.

BBC staff have been at the tourist attraction for most of the week to set up cameras and equipment ahead of today's filming.

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Hundreds of people arrived as early as 7.30am today clutching boxes and bags crammed full of treasures to be valued by the show's experts.

Bosses at the tourist attraction expect about 2,000 to come through the gates during the day.

Yesterday rehearsals were held as final preparations were made for filming.

Olwen Gillespie, show press officer, said: "We are delighted that our last outdoor show of the year looks set to be sunny and dry.

"This is one of the latest we have had so we are chancing it a bit. We are very much hoping it will stay dry."

Larger items to be filmed were brought along earlier in the week and tables have been set up in the new Canal Street area, which was opened at Blists Hill at Easter. Some of Britain's leading antiques and fine arts specialists are on hand today offering free advice and valuations on items.

Show presenter Fiona Bruce said the location and how accessible it was was key to the success of the show.

She said: "For me, the setting does make it. It's a chance for me to travel around the country and see beautiful places and this is certainly one of them."

By Lisa Rowley

The first people had arrived by 7.30am and by about 9am the queue stretched almost to the front gates of the tourist attraction in the Ironbridge Gorge. Visitors were faced with a two-hour wait to see experts.

By lunchtime the crowd had swelled to more than 700 people.

After their items were initially assessed they were directed to tables set up in the new Canal Street area for experts to look at them.

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Two of the first in the queue were Kathryn and Stuart Kirkbride of St Georges, Telford, who got in line about 7.45am.

The couple had brought along a number of items, including porcelain, jewellery and an LP they believed had been signed by the Beatles.

Mrs Kirkbride said: "I have always loved the Antiques Roadshow. We have brought along a few bits and pieces. We really don't know if they are worth anything.

"We saw the programme advertised in the Shropshire Star."

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Graham Wheatley of Madeley, Telford, had brought along some dinner plates, a cockerel ornament belonging to his neighbour and an old-fashioned candlestick holder believed to date from the 1700s.

The 65-year-old care worker said: "I came out of curiosity. I have got a dinner plate from my mother's side of the family and I want to find out more about it.

"I have nothing of huge monetary value, I just want to know more about the items."

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Show presenter Fiona Bruce, who has a friend in Oswestry, said: "It's a joy actually and coming here to Blists Hill, it's really lovely."

And the presenter said she was so impressed with the Victorian town she was planning to return at half-term with her children.

Paul Gossage, director of marking and publicity at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, said he was hoping some fantastic items and stories would be uncovered by the show and was delighted with the response.

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