TV antiques expert Paul Laidlaw got just what he bargained for when he visited Haltwhistle today. 

The Carlisle-based auctioneer and valuer has become a familiar face on BBC's Bargain Hunt over the past decade, and today he came face-to-face with Haltwhistle residents during an antiques valuation day. 

He cast his eyes over a wide range of treasures, but the real focus of the day was dementia. 

Paul is a patron of the community group Dementia Support@Haltwhistle, which looks after sufferers of the condition and their families. 

The valuation day, which took place at Haltwhistle Library, was aimed at raising both awareness and vital funds for the group. 

Paul said: "You can tell from the sheer number of people here that the people of Haltwhistle will come out in support of a local charitable organisation.

"There's a lot of interest in antiques here and it's always great to come along and see what people bring with them. 

"You never know what you might find - and that's part of the fun."

For the full story get your Hexham Courant this Friday.