'Flambards auction is like picking over the bones'

Hundreds of historical items from a former theme park have sold for thousands of pounds after they went under the hammer.

Flambards in Helston, Cornwall, closed its doors in November 2024 after 48 years due to "rising costs and a steady decline in visitor numbers".

Items sold at auction on Wednesday included a World War Two era Jeep for £12,500 and a full-size mock-up of the front part of a Concorde aircraft, which sold for £17,000.

Auctioneer David Lay said items were fetching more than he had expected due to the nostalgia people had for the theme park.

The auction features more than 1,200 lots, including a Britain in the Blitz display.

Mr Lay said he had been most surprised by the interest in World War Two era packaging, which includes food packaging and advertising.

"Some lots had estimates of perhaps £100 to £200, and a few of them made more than £1,000," he said.

"For some empty display boxes, it's pretty remarkable."

Bids were made on each item in the auction, which Mr Lay said was "unusual" and a "bit rare", and he put it down to nostalgia for the theme park.

Dealer Mark Tomlin travelled to the auction from Kent to bid on items for his business that sells to private owners and provides props for film companies.

"Predominately we are after the World War Two posters and some of the packaging," he said.

Mr Tomlin said "in a way it's quite sad" to see the end of the attraction.

"It's like you're picking over the bones, it's almost like a zombie apocalypse and everything is dead and dusty," he said.

Other items sold at auction included World War Two mines for £350, a Spitfire street sign for £1,800 and a life-size bust of Winston Churchill for £1,550.

ITV Westcountry mascot Gus Honeybun, which lived at Flambards after he was retired from the screens in the early 90s, sold for £3,100.

Another Gus Honeybun puppet display which is thought to have appeared on TV sold for £3,600

Helston dealer Rob Laurence said some of the prices had gone "stratospheric".

"I've been outbid on a few things, it's just crazy money," he said.

"Everyone loves Flambards, it's gone worldwide and the advertising has been brilliant for it.

"Everyone wants a piece of Flambards."

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