THEY are the sledges of fairy stories and childhood - curly, old-fashioned wooden toboggans, full of romance and redolent of a world where they have proper snowy winters and maybe even wolves still in the forest.

There are small sledges, Davos sledges, bobsleighs, bigger ones that could be pulled by dogs, and they once had an enormous one for sale. They asked the customer why he wanted it.

"For my reindeer," he said. Of course.

The sledges - all second-hand and verging on antique - were built to last and are a regular feature of the window display at Dovetail Interiors in Bridge Street, Bedale - always intriguing as you're waiting in the queue for the junction at the top. They are just a small part of their stock, but one for which they are becoming famous. And it happened by chance.

For many years, Brian and Susan Jutsum ran the award winning Rookhurst country house hotel in Gayle, near Hawes. Brian is an artist and some years ago, decided to make and sell furniture. When using pine, he tries wherever possible to use reclaimed wood.

"The first lot of sledges came inside a wardrobe from the Czech Republic. Twenty of them. We put them on display and they sold," says Susan.

Soon they had a steady supply of sledges and began selling them all year round.

"Even in June. People buy for themselves or for children. But they have to test drive them. Old ladies will come into the shop, abandon their shopping, tuck up their skirts and try the sledges out for size."

Prizes are modest, ranging from around £28 to £90, and regardless of the high-tech aerodynamic plastic sledges available these days, the old-fashioned wooden sort are as popular as ever. "They really come into their own in deep snow," says Susan.

And the Jutsums should know. They live at 1,400 feet, high above Low Row in Swaledale. They had snow before Christmas when the rest of us saw barely a flake. "Sometimes we have to leave the car at Low Row and walk up," says Susan.

Getting back down again, of course, is easy - as long as they've remembered the toboggan.

Sledges and toboggans are just a tiny part of the Jutsums' business. Dovetail Interiors specialises in handmade furniture, all styles and designs, in a wide variety of woods, including maple, bespoke oak and reclaimed pine.

"We really like to make you what you want," says Susan. "If you can draw it, we can make it. All different woods, different colours. And if your dog decides to chew the table leg, well we can repair it too. We want people to be happy with our furniture, to enjoy it."

Items include a solid oak refectory table for around £1,475, as well as kitchens, dressers, chairs and tables.

"Apart from the few ranges we bring in already made, most of our furniture is made to order," says Susan.

Their tables are made with a heat and water resistant finish. "We want people to be able to use them, not just look at them."

Many customers in the cheerful, friendly shop are holidaymakers from all over the country or second home owners who want something special that they can't get anywhere else.

That includes I'm A Celebrity contestant Janet Street Porter. "She's ordered one of our tables to write her next novel on."

Others just want pieces especially made to fit into awkward corners. They also make painted furniture, and that's just another part of it. Other delights in the shop include antiques, a great range of unusual lighting, interesting jewellery, Italian handbags and some splendid garden ornaments, stone troughs and statues.

The other important member of the team is Jean Smith. "She was a customer and we liked her so asked her if she'd like to work for us," says Susan. "We have fun choosing things for the shop and we hope people enjoy buying them and using them."

* Dovetail Interiors, 2 Bridge St, Bedale. Tel: (01677) 426464. www.dovetailinteriors.com

The next delivery of sledges and toboggans is due next month.