WHEN local bargain hunters were told "everything must go" they took the phrase quite literally.

Around 150 people queued up outside the Prestwich home of Colin and Valerie Jeffery to get their pick of antiques and artefacts.

And the sale was so popular that the couple raised £1,662 towards their new life in a plush flat in Prestwich.

As reported in last week's Guide, the sale was filmed for ITV1's daytime programme Everything Must Go, which is in its fifth series.

The Jefferys' daughter Georgie Ashworth contacted the producers after they decided to down-size their three-bedroom home in Woodhill Grove for a modern apartment in The Radius complex to be built on the former Sainsburys site.

Colin is wheelchair bound after suffering a stroke two years ago and as their house is set on a steep hill, access is quite difficult.

They thought a new flat with lift access and a balcony would be much more suitable as they got older, but they had far too many ornaments, paintings and knick-knacks to take with them.

Georgie said: "I usually watch the programme and thought it would be the ideal solution for mum's problem. There was no way they could take everything with them."

People travelled from as far away as Liverpool to take advantage of the Jefferys' upmarket car boot sale and Valerie was thrilled with the response.

She said: "It was absolutley fantastic. There were about 150 people there and I sold a lot of stuff and I was delighted! I'd like to thank everyone who came along and helped to make it such a successful day."

Valerie had spent most of her life collecting things and it was quite sad to some of the items go.

She added: "There was a large red table that I remember the children racing around, so it had sentimental value. I actually sold it to a friend of mine so I will still get to see it whenever I can. I will keep five or six items that I can't bear to part with and they will help to put my stamp on the new apartment."

Any items that Valerie has left will be featured in a follow-up programme called Under The Hammer which shows her possessions being sold off at auction.

The auction will be filmed on May 10 and 11 in Market Harborough, Leicester.