Fans flock to enjoy large Walsall toy fair

The Walsall Wood Toy and Train Collectors Fair saw collectors young and old viewing an array of gems from yesteryear.

There were cars, lorries and trains as well as dolls and sci-fi toys among the goodies on show.

Linda Price, who runs the fair with her husband Geoff, who also holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of model buses.

She believes that moving the event to the Oak Park Active Living Centre has reinvigorated the event and helped attract new visitors, attracting many new visitors.

She said: "This is the second one we've had at the new centre.

"We've been doing it for 25 years and we've never had so many people along. Visitors numbers have been right up since we moved.

"We're now in a nice big building and we had about 80 different tables at this event.

"There were all types of toys from die casts to railway models. We must have had about 500 people in.

"There wasn't anything too different to the usual, but there were a few dolls this time.

"You get two types of people at these events, the railway enthusiasts or the people who collect cars.

"There was one stand with big toy versions of the Eddie Stobart lorries. There were one or two other stand that had different things like Doctor Who toys and Star Wars. What we've found today is we've had more kids come along

"I think it's partly down to the location, there are more people in and out for other things so they've come in to have a look."

Mr Price couldn't resist bolstering his own personal collection, which now stands at more than 13,800 buses.

Mrs Price said: "I think he bought a few off somebody who sells the smaller die cast models.

"He thinks I didn't notice but I did.

We went on holiday recently and he was up to 13,777 before we went. But he bought another 39 while we were away so he's up to more than 13,800.

"We went to Sri Lanka and he picked up 38 plastic models and a wooden one."

The next fair is on January 8 between 10.30am and 3pm at Oak Park Active Living Centre.