Traffic came to a stop at East Riddlesden Hall on Wednesday as hordes of visitors crammed into the barn bearing pots, porcelain and paintings.

Around 500 people flocked to the hall to look around the grounds and participate in The National Trust's fourth charity Antiques Valuation Day.

Seven experts from Bonhams, one of the four leading London-based auction houses, returned to Keighley to give valuations and advice on selling at auction.

Run along the same lines as the BBC's Antiques Roadshow, specialists in ceramics, silver, pictures, jewellery, textiles, toys and dolls were on hand to answer questions. Bonhams Yorkshire representative and general valuer Henrietta Graham listed an Italian organ, a music box, a Victorian doll dressed in Quaker clothing, surveyor tools, teddies and a Bassett Looke steam engine as some of the more unusual items valued.

Eric Knowles, a regular on the BBC on the Antiques Roadshow and a director of Bonhams, represented the Bonhams' decorative arts department involving ceramics and works of art dating from the late 19th and early 20th century with an art deco or art nouveau design.

He told us: "It was non-stop all day because of the huge turnout. There was a really interesting selection of goods. I valued one Lucie Rie 1970 pot at £3,000 and most people went away with a smile."

Mr Knowles spent most of his time assessing 18th and 19th century porcelain, such as pots, tea cups and saucers.

Representing the picture dep-artment was Caroline Oliphant who is highly specialised in Old Master paintings, watercolours and other pictures. She said: "I saw quite a few local artists today which I don't often see in the south."

Liz Houseman, assistant property manager at the Hall, added: "A lot more people turned up than we were expecting and everyone worked flat out right through the day. The ceramics department was particularly popular."

A valuations fee of £2 was charged for any first item and £1 for each additional product.

All proceeds from the day will be put towards the on-going restoration work of the Hall.

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