Enthusiasts Come To Blows Over Field Of Dreams

As harvests go,it was set to be a field of dreams - perhaps worth a million.

Found hidden in the weeds and grasses on a farm was a collection of vintage vehicles,many of which have not moved from their rural graveyard for more than 45 years.

They were amassed over the years by passionate collector Basil Tyler,but they have only just been discovered following the 63-year-old farmer's death from cancer earlier this year.

His family and friends eagerly set about looking for car enthusiasts who would give the vintage models a good home.

But things have soured - they have been swamped by more than 500 calls and one pair of enthusiasts even came to blows in the field as they argued violently over one of the cars.

At one point almost 100 people could be seen searching through the deep undergrowth of the field,hoping to find a hidden treasure.

Trevor Tooth,who has been co-ordinating the sale on behalf of the Tyler family,said "These two particular people almost came to blows over one of the cars for sale.

"They were arguing over this Rover 100 and both shouting 'I found it first!' They were being quite childish about the whole thing.

"They were having quite a heated exchange and in the end I told them neither could have it," he said."There is no need for animosity in what should be an enjoyable experience for all."

Mr Tooth says he has been swamped by more than 500 calls since first announcing the vehicles were for sale ten days ago.

"I do not know how many are still in the field,but we are finding new cars every day.One woman who has been walking near the field for more than two years has even bought a car which no-one had even found.

"She knew it was there and told me where to look.She even stuck a flag in it so I could find it."

The collection of more than 50 vehicles was only discovered following the death of 63-year-old farmer Mr Tyler from cancer,earlier this year.

Since the 1950s,Basil had bought vehicles of all shapes of sizes - cars,fire engines,tractors and many more.

It had been more than a hobby for the father-of-four,who had driven and used almost all of them.

No-one had any idea how many vehicles Basil had collected until they began chopping through the undergrowth earlier this month.

"He was given three months to live at Christmas but I don't think he thought he was ever going to die and there are cars that he bought just two weeks before he went" said family friend Trevor.

"I knew there were a lot of pieces in the field but it was so overgrown that I could not really see what was there.

"As the days go by I am finding more and more cars as I trample the weeds down and he has another piece of land I haven't looked at yet."

Many of the cars are rusted beyond recognition but there are a number of rare models which could take pride of place in any enthusiast's collection.

A Rolls Royce,a 1940s Army truck,twelve vintage Land Rovers and several tractors are among the vast range of vehicles of all shapes and sizes which have already been sold.

Mr Tooth said "There is a Humber Hawk Estate which is very rare and is looking for a new owner.I am 50 years old and I have never seen one in my life before.

"A lot of people will be interested in these cars but we want to find people who will really cherish them. The vehicles were his personal drives and come from the forties,fifties,sixties and seventies."

Mr Tooth said there would be a charge for some of the models with some of the money going to a hospice.