OWNERS of unusual Victorian heirlooms have a chance to feature in a New Years Day television special being filmed at Beamish Museum.

A one-hour Antiques Roadshow-style show will be screened on BBC2 on January 1, set amid the turn-of-the-century attractions at the open-air heritage museum.

Producers are looking for people to come forward with objects of interest dating from the reign of Queen Victoria, between 1837 and 1901, to be examined by experts on the programme.

Researcher Tanya Winston said The Victorian Roadshow will focus on different areas of Victoriana, from medicine to dentistry, transport, shopping and cooking.

"It could be anything from a set of false teeth invented after the discovery of porcelain to a dental appointment card, maybe a cycling corset allowing ladies a bit of extra flexibility, or a pair of cycling bloomers. It could be a ticket for an early train ride, or a postcard from a seaside resort.

"Any items like these, ideally with a personal story attached, could be exactly what we're looking for.

"It will be very much on the Antiques Roadshow format, but we don't want people just to turn up on the day. It will be more pre-planned."

Anyone who thinks they may have a suitable item from the Victorian era should contact Tanya on (0208) 7524114. She would like to view the artefacts before deciding which will be featured for filming of the programme.