Around 70 people brought along their prized possessions to be valued by Wiltshire antique expert, Paul Martin, at a community valuation day in Melksham.

The Flog It! television presenter hosted a free event at That Meeting Space, in Melksham’s Market Place, on Wednesday, May 8.

It was held for Devizes auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son, for which he is head of valuations.

The valuation day is part of a series intended to encourage people to dust off their prized possessions and bring them along to be discussed, valued and perhaps sold.

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Wiltshire Times: Paul Martin with Mr Policeman, a Pelham Puppet belonging to Chippenham collector Katy Barrett at That Meeting Space, the former Melksham Police Station. Image: Trevor Porter 77038-3Paul Martin with Mr Policeman, a Pelham Puppet belonging to Chippenham collector Katy Barrett at That Meeting Space, the former Melksham Police Station. Image: Trevor Porter 77038-3 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Paul said: “I have seen so many people I am just a bit frazzled. It has been pretty busy. I have not stopped. I’ve seen around 70 people so far and have been working flat out.

“I have seen lots of Pelham Puppets. Pelham Puppets are wooden puppets made by Bob Pelham, probably in the 1940s and 1950s. They are very nice and one was a policeman.

“I have also seen an old propeller from a First World War biplane and we have got lots of watches.

“We have had a whole collection of seven Ian Fleming James Bond first edition books, which was nice, but sadly not Casino Royale.

“We had a Royal Doulton flower-seller, she was quite rare, worth £300. I have also valued some Royal Doulton figurines of Henry VIII and his six wives. That collection will fetch around £1,000.”

Paul had hoped to see items ranging from antiques, collectables, silver, gold, militaria and jewellery.

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He added: “The collectors are the people who drive the prices up and the collectors want immaculate things. They are quite fussy.

“That’s what drives this market. It is the collectors and the collectibles.”

Wiltshire Times: The Valuation Day was held in the former Melksham & District Police Station, now known as That Meeting Space. Image: Trevor Porter 77038-1The Valuation Day was held in the former Melksham & District Police Station, now known as That Meeting Space. Image: Trevor Porter 77038-1 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Paul has been a TV presenter and antiques expert for more than 20 years, presenting programmes including the Antiques Road Trip, Flog It! and Countryfile.

He has a new series, Paul Martin’s Auction Showdown, going live on Channel 5 this year.

He added: “Even though I am a tv presenter and still enjoy my broadcast career, I’m an antiques man at heart.

“These events allow me to get back to what drives me — the people, their objects and the stories they tell.”

Paul and Henry Aldridge & Son will be at Swindon’s Steam Museum on Monday, May 13, and at the Horse & Groom pub in Westbury on Thursday, May 16, both from 10am to 3pm.