A collection of more than 100 rare and historic firefighters’ helmets are going under the auctioneer’s hammer today.

Former firefighter Jack Field from Marden has collected them over the past four decades, and has examples from around the world, including the USA, Argentina and Japan.

But he is downsizing his home and needs the space.

The collection of 119 items, some more than a century old, is on sale with Bentley’s Fine Art Auctioneers in Cranbrook. For details of how to bid, visit their website here.

The oldest helmet is from 1885 and the newest from 2010.

Many are from private fire brigades, belonging to firms and factories, before the establishment of a national fire service.

Mr Field was a Marden retained firefighter for 18 years, serving from 1970.

He began his collection with a brass helmet that had belonged to a colleague's father-in-law from the Wadhurst fire brigade.

Now he is selling them all except one: the one he wore during his own time of service.