OWNERS of rare vintage cars from around the world are queuing up to have them restored at a rural workshop.

The three friends who run the workshop in Barnard Castle, County Durham, are working on a 1932 Rolls-Royce Phantom 1, which when restored, will be the only one of its kind in the world.

Dick Francis, Steve Layton and Steve Smith, who opened the workshop a year ago, are also working on a 1924 Chrysler shipped from the US, as well as a 1940 Riley, a 1950 Alvis and a 1960 Aston Martin.

"We can't fit any more cars into our workshop," said Mr Francis.

"We have to finish one and send it away before we can accept another from the queue."

The trio worked for a vehicle restorer before deciding to branch out on their own with their firm Carrossarie.

Body and interior work on the Phantom is costing its German owner about £50,000 and once it arrives back in Hanover, he will have to spend another £50,000 on the engine and other features to make it roadworthy.

Said Mr Francis: "It will then be the only car of its kind in the world. There are no others left of this 1932 model, which was really expensive at over £8,000 when new.

"We are glad we were chosen for such a prestige job. It was in a bad state and a lot of it had to be rebuilt."

The 50bhp car is 19ft long and weighs three tons. The owner, and others in Europe and the US, found the firm on the Internet.

The team recently completed the restoration of a Rolls Royce 25/30 for an owner in the Lake District. Other orders have come in from Holland and Germany.

Said Mr Francis: "We were a bit worried when we started off. But the work soon started rolling in. We are so busy that we all work a 12-hour day. We love restoring these grand old cars to their former glory."