The dying art of matchbox label collecting has been put on show for all to see, as hobbyists try to get more people involved.

Detling Village Hall welcomed dozens of collectors from across the country to buy, sell and swap labels from days gone by.

Organiser Claire Homersham said: "We've been holding these fairs since the 1960s, although we've moved around quite a bit.

"People came from Bristol, Northampton and all over to take part, it's always a great event.

"It's a hobby that unfortunately is not thriving.

"Younger people don't seem to do collecting anymore and it's a great shame. There's a lot more to it than it seems.

"There's a tremendous amount of history beneath the artwork of each matchbox label."

Saturday's event saw matchbox labels from across history on display, including one appealing for information that could lead to the arrest of Osama Bin Laden.

Mrs Homersham, 52, has been collecting matchboxes for nearly 40 years.

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She said: "When I joined I was 13, you can imagine a lot of the people who were 50 when I joined have since passed away.

"One of the women there, Lesley, she's 88, I've known her so long I talk to her like one of my sisters."

Next year's British Matchbox Label Society auction and fair will take place at Detling Village Hall on March 15.

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