Maidenhead & Windsor

Princess Leia, Batman, Miss Piggy and a mystery in need of solving are to be found at the Maidenhead Heritage Centre which is currently transporting children of all ages back to the pre-computer game age.

The centre in King Street, Maidenhead is telling its very own Toy Story over the next few weeks displaying a collection of over 100 toys spanning over 70 years.

The toys went on display on Tuesday and have been loaned to the centre by Maidenhead toy collector Neil Baldry.

Maidenhead Heritage centre chairman Richard Poad said: "We have already heard youngsters asking their parents and grandparents if they had similar toys themselves. Adults will like reading pages from the toy catalogues of stores like Gamages and seeing the prices of the toys that were on sale in their childhood.

"This is a wonderfully nostalgic exhibition."

Toys on display include a military ambulance with figures, a Batmobile, a pre-war Bayko bungalow, Meccano, a Miss Piggy car and a Princess Leia action figure. There is also a display case full of Hornby, Triang and Chad Valley model railway equipment from the 1950s and 1960s.

However, one exhibit remains something of a mystery as Mr Poad explained: "Collector Neil Baldry has absolutely no idea of the origin or age of a bright red wooden car, which has the look, of a 1930s American car. If we can find out anything more about this toy, we and Mr Baldry will be very pleased."

A display of Edwardian Christmas cards and photographs of nativity scenes in the stained glass windows of local churches is also on show in the run up to Christmas.

Special Maidenhead Christmas puddings made by administrator Fran Edwards are also on sale.

The toy-tastic exhibition will be running until Friday December 23.

Opening hours at the heritage centre are 10am to 4pm, Tuesdays to Saturdays.

icBerkshire ~ Maidenhead