A LARGE figurine lies in pieces on the table, a shepherdess parted from her shepherd, both of them separated from the base. A box holds pieces that were once a much-loved bowl. A horse prances proudly - but minus his tail.

That's the bad news.

But the much more cheerful good news is that eventually all these pieces will be put back together again, looking as good as new. And no, in most cases, you won't be able to see the join.

In a little workshop in Whessoe Road, Darlington, Gary and Tracy Nicholson work minor miracles.

He's a cabinet maker, she studied fine art. As well as making furniture to order, between them they repair and restore just about anything. These two could probably put Humpty Dumpty back together again. And as for the Venus de Milo - she'd probably get her arms back too.

Chairs await new seats, bureaux new shelves. A once splendid rosewood and mahogany table has been used by just too many hot cups. Frankly, it looks a bit battered and sad. "But we can make that wood look really good again, "says Gary. "We won't be able to get rid of all the stains completely, but we don't want to. They're part of its history and give it its character. But it's a lovely piece and will look beautiful again when I've finished with it."

Some of the chairs look beyond all hope. Broken backs, exploding seats, battered legs, but they are, says Gary, well worth repairing and will, he reassures, look good again.

Much of their work is for antiques specialists and dealers. But they have lots of private customers too. As well as wear and tear, many pieces are victims of those heart-stopping accidents. "Clumsy builders and cleaners could probably keep us in work," says Gary.

Some of the pieces are valuable, which is why they are worth repairing. China that had been repaired was once almost worthless but not any more.

"As pieces get rarer and more valuable, a repair - as long as it's done well - is much more acceptable," says Gary.

And other pieces have a price that cannot be put into money. "We repair a lot of items that perhaps aren't worth much but are of terrific sentimental value. If it's an ornament that belonged to your mother, or a vase that was your late wife's favourite, then you want to see it as it was, not in bits in a box under the bed," says Gary.

Some pieces are asking for trouble. Delicate pieces with extended heads or arms. "We got very good at putting tails back on Beswick horses," says Gary.

Over the years, they've had many and varied items in for repair They also clean and restore paintings and spelter work, a combination of lead and tin much loved by the Victorians. But there are still surprises. Like the model of cartoon hero Scooby Doo lurking among the antique lamps and bowls.

"But it's Wedgwood and collectable and expensive, so worth repairing," says Gary. "It made a nice change for us."

One of Gary's specialities is making made-to-measure display cabinets, so you can show off all those beautiful china pieces. And once they're safely installed in there, they might be out of harm's way - safe from all those builders, cleaners and clumsy visitors.

l Pottery and Porcelain Restoration, 3 Whessoe Road, Darlington. Tel: (01325) 460319