CIGARETTE and trade card collectors from across the North will meet in Darlington this Saturday for the region’s largest fair devoted to the hobby.

The event at Haughton Working Men’s Club is being organised by the four northern branches of the 74-year-old Cartophilic Society of Great Britain; Gateshead, Leeds, Preston and Timperley in Cheshire.

At Saturday’s event, society members will be offering free valuations and are urging any residents who have a shoe-box or album full of cards to take them along and find out if they’ve been sitting on a goldmine.

Cigarette cards were originally issued in 1870s America to stiffen the packets and help avoid damage to the cigarettes inside.

Subjects covered by the cards range from the football, cricket and rugby heroes of the 20th century through to cars and trains, animals and birds, soldiers and the glamorous pin-up girls of the 1920s and 30s.

Their value can range from as little as 10p through to several thousand pounds and one cigarette card recently sold in America for nearly £2m.

The fair starts at 10am to 4pm this Saturday October 20, entry is £1 for non-members and families count as one ticket.