A BANBURY woman is calling on railway enthusiasts to help her clear some rare collector's items from her back garden.

Patricia Hale moved into her house in Manor Road about 21 years ago after it was previously rented out to a station master.

For the last two decades she has had to cope with train ladders and tools which were left behind and is now looking for someone to take them off her hands.

Mrs Hale, 76, said: "I quite liked the steps when we moved in but we are planning to alter the garden and they are now a bit of a pain.

"They are in absolutely perfect knick. I just want to get rid of it all really.

"I am sure somebody would like to take things like this."

The house was previously occupied by a man known as Captain Hollis, and when Mrs Hale moved in she found a plaque bearing the name on the front door.

She said that before he died Mr Hollis worked at Banbury Station, and had a daughter who lived in nearby Adderbury.

Mrs Hale added: "We've found other bits and pieces from when he worked in the house, like bits of wood and old pots that he had stuck back together."

She added that the toolbox may have had shovels kept in it and there was a big bolt attached to the front.

The ladder, which has long been left at the back of the garden, would likely have been used for workers to clamber onto the engine and carriages.

Mrs Hale, who lives with granddaughter Kerri-Ann James, is also a foster carer and often has children aged up to five come over to stay.

Despite the garden being filled with railway objects though, she said the children tend "not notice them too much."

Regarding cost Mrs Hale said she was willing to give the objects away for free to the right person, but they would need to be able to collect them themselves.

She approached the Banbury Cake for help after seeing our coverage of the campaign to save the historic Banbury North Signal Box from demolition.

Despite a five-month fundraising effort by campaigners, the box will be torn down on October 8 by Network Rail as part of £76m upgrades to the network.

Are you interested in the objects? Call the newsroom on 01865 425433 or email kieran.davey@oxfordmail.co.uk.