A LEOMINSTER auctioneers is to dispose of one of the largest private collections of classic vehicles in Britain.

Brightwells Auctioneers and Valuers will see the sale of the entire collection of the Stondon Motor Museum, starting later this month.

The museum’s owner, John Saunders, began collecting about 25 years ago and

opened his collection to the public in 1994, regularly adding to the

stock as the years rolled by.

The diverse collection eventually filled eight halls and comprises of almost 150 cars from the 1920s to the 1990s, around 60 motorbikes, as well as numerous other vehicles ranging from buses, fire engines and armoured cars to gyrocopters, invalid carriages and a giant Soviet rocket launcher.

There is also a rare Romany caravan, a replica of Stevenson’s Rocket, a Rolls-Royce jet turbine engine, a Saunders Roe helicopter and many fascinating items of automobilia.

Mr Saunders' son, Chris, said: "We have spent many happy years amassing the collection but the care and maintenance of such a large and diverse

assortment of vehicles has become increasingly onerous and we have now

decided that the time has come to move on."

The vehicles will be sold in two stages with the first event taking place on Wednesday April 29, where more than 60 classic motorcycles will be sold.

The second sale will comprise almost 150 classic cars plus buses, fire engines and other vehicles and will be held on Wednesday June 10, with viewing the day before on both occasions.

Visit Brightwells.com for more information.