FROM curios to the curious, Ipswich was buzzing today with the arrival of the antiques experts.The BBC's much-loved Antiques Roadshow was making a visit to the Corn Exchange – and the public turned out in force.

FROM curios to the curious, Ipswich was buzzing today with the arrival of the antiques experts.

The BBC's much-loved Antiques Roadshow was making a visit to the Corn Exchange - and the public turned out in force.

Andy Stockton, of The Walk, Walton, was first in the queue at 7am. He had brought some treasure family heirlooms for the experts to cast their eye over.

He said: "I follow the series on TV and it's nice to see the real people in the flesh.

"I've brought some pictures along, more from the interest point of view than the value side of things.

"I can remember the paintings nearly all my life, probably since I was about seven. It would be nice to know a bit about them."

In its first visit to Ipswich nearly 20 years ago, the Antiques Roadshow unearthed a sword from the Battle of Trafalgar.

At the time its value was said to be about £9,000, but that figure would be nearer to £20,000 in today's market.

The queue of people stretching right round the block suggested many Suffolk folk had high hopes of hitting the jackpot with their personal treasures.

But not everyone had had come from the surrounding area. Nigel Broddle and Sue Darrell set off at 4am to make the journey from Grimsby.

The classis car enthusiasts brought a prized possession - a child's Bull-nosed Morris pedal car from the late 1920s.

Mr Broddle said: "I bought it at a revival in Goodwood - it just took my fancy.

"We've got a lot of classic car memorabilia, but I suppose you could say this is one of my prize pieces."

A group of female friends in the queue were looking forward to seeing the experts as much as getting their valuables valued.

Rosemary Hyder, of Dale Hall Lane, Ipswich, was joined by Stowmarket friends Joyce Bloomfield, of Combs Lane, Margaret Abbot, of Hoxne Close, and Daphne Punchard, of Hill Side.

Mrs Hyder had brought an old painted truncheon on behalf of her ex-policeman husband.

She said: "It's quite exciting. We've seen a lot of the experts wandering up and down the queue and they've all been lovely - just as they appear on telly."