Hundreds turn out for TV treasure hunt in Bognor

Hundreds of people took the chance to take part in a TV treasure hunt in Bognor Regis yesterday (Wednesday, June 17).

They turned up for a valuation day for the popular BBC2 programme Flog It.

Presenter Paul Martin and a team of experts were at the Shoreline Conference Centre in Butlins to sort the valuable from the not-so-valuable among the mass of items taken along.

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Among those hoping to turn some items into cash were Godfrey Matthews, 64, and Margaret Thomas, 62.

The pair had travelled from Cranleigh in Surrey with a framed certificate which dated from 1868 and admitted Isaac Clunt to the Ancient Order of Foresters as well as an ornate brass bowl similar to one which would be used for burning incense.

Mr Matthews said he had framed the certificate after it had fallen out of the back of a painting he had bought at a market a few years ago for its frame.

"I've no idea how much either of the items are worth and I'm interested in knowing more about the Foresters," he said.

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"I do watch Flog It and I go to a lot of auctions. I love this sort of thing. It's one of my interests."

Other hopefuls to arrive clutching their plastic bags included Butlins' holidaymakers Mike and Kate White.

The Ramsgate couple took along a first-edition Reader's Digest book with a story by Alistair MacLean, a small clock believed to be from the 1920s and a brass miniature hatstand.

Mrs White, 61, said the book and hatstand had been bought from a Bognor charity shop for 1 and 50p.

The clock had been handed down to her.

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"We thought we would come along to see if we have got anything worth selling," she stated.

They joined a queue which was about 100-strong an hour after filming started. A further 160 people had already passed into the valuation room for possible filming.

Everyone received a valuation for their objects.

Those which their owners and the experts agreed should go to auction will be sold at Henry Adams in Baffins Lane, Chichester, on July 16. The episode will be screened in Flog It's eighth series next year.

* A Flog It camera team was due at Bognor's museum today (Thursday, June 18) to film details about the history of the town.

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