OBSESSIVE HOARDER'S SIX TON COLLECTION OF JUNK TO BE AUCTIONED

AN OBSESSIVE HOARDER WHO FILLED EVERY ROOM OF HIS HOME WITH A LIFETIME'S WORTH OF JUNK AND TRASH HAS LUMBERED AUCTIONEERS WITH THE MAMMOTH TASK OF FINDING HOMES FOR IT ALL AFTER INSISTING IN HIS WILL THAT EVERY LAST PIECE MUST BE SOLD. ECCENTRIC COLLECTOR STEWART CLARK REFUSED TO THROW OUT ANYTHING HE ACQUIRED DURING HIS LIFE, FROM NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES TO TINY STICKY LABELS FOUND ON APPLES AND PEARS. HE AMASSED A HUGE COLLECTION OF MATERIAL IN HIS THREE-BEDROOM HOUSE INCLUDING RUSTY LAWNMOWERS, A WATER FOUNTAIN, OLD BIKES, TYPEWRITERS, A TRUMPET AND BOARD GAMES. HIS HOARD WAS SO OVERWHELMING THAT THE STUNNED EXECUTOR OF HIS ESTATE COULD NOT GET INTO HIS HOME IN POOLE, DORSET, TO VALUE THE ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN CRAMMED IN EVERY ROOM. THE SIX-TON COLLECTION TOOK FOUR MEN THREE DAYS TO PLACE INTO TWO SHIPPING CONTAINERS AND IS SO LARGE IT HAS TO BE SOLD IN A WAREHOUSE. CLARK, A LIFELONG BACHELOR, DIED IN DECEMBER AGED 64 AND HAD NO FAMILY TO PASS HIS ESTATE ON TO. SURVEYOR BARRY HUTCHINSON DID NOT KNOW HE WAS THE EXECUTOR OF CLARK'S WILL UNTIL AFTER THE DEATH OF THE ONE WHO NAMED HIM WITHOUT TELLING HIM. HUTCHINSON SAID: 'THE AMOUNT OF STUFF ASTONISHED US. WE ACTUALLY COULDN'T GET INTO THE HOUSE AT FIRST. IT SEEMS HE AND HIS PARENTS WHO LIVED IN THE HOUSE BEFORE HIM, NEVER THREW ANYTHING OUT FOR DECADES, PERHAPS LONGER, INCLUDING EVERY SINGLE LOCAL NEWSPAPER AND STACKS OF THE RAILWAY MODELER MAGAZINE. HE CERTAINLY HAD A PASSION FOR COLLECTING. MR CLARK EVEN SAVED THE LABELS OFF APPLES AND PEARS AND STUCK THEM ON A BOARD IN HIS KITCHEN. QUITE BIZARRE REALLY. EVERYTHING WAS PILED UP IN THE ROOMS FOUR AND FIVE FEET DEEP AND THERE WERE LITTLE PATHWAYS RUNNING THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE.' OTHER POSSESSIONS INCLUDED A CAR TRAILER, A HUGE LIBRARY OF BOOKS, SCORES OF PAINTINGS, SOME VALUABLE, CERAMICS, GLASSWARE, FURNITURE, SEWING MACHINES, FUR COATS, BRIEF CASES AND ASSORTED BRIC-A-BRAC. THERE WAS ALSO COLLECTIONS OF RARE HORNBY AND TRIANG MODEL TRAINS AND COUNTLESS BOXES OF DINKY AND CORGI TOYS. JONATHON ROOKE, OF THE CHIPPENHAM AUCTION ROOMS IN WILTSHIRE, WHICH IS SELLING THE HOARD, SAID SIX TONS OF MEMORABILIA FROM THE HOUSE IS BEING AUCTIONED IN THE 'SALE OF A LIFETIME'. IT IS BEING SOLD IN 665 LOTS BUT MANY OF THE LOTS INVOLVE NUMEROUS ITEMS. THE OVERALL ESTIMATE FOR THE ITEMS IS ABOUT £50,000. ROOKE SAID: 'THERE IS A HUGE COLLECTION OF LEAD FIGURES THAT WILL SEE COUNTLESS COLLECTORS GATHER FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FOR THE SALE.' THE COLLECTION WILL GO UNDER THE HAMMER ON 15.MAY.