AN antiques shop — a hidden gem in Radcliffe's high street — has been the centre of attention in recent months.

A number of film crews and celebrity guests have descended on Classical Times Antiques and Collectibles to produce material for BBC and SKY television programmes.

Owners Ian and Sue Jackson, who opened the shop in October 2017, say they are pleased to be "putting Radcliffe on the map" and are "delighted" at the national exposure for their business.

Their shop is due to feature on Antiques Road Trip, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, Make Me a Dealer, and comedy series Brassic.

Mr Jackson, aged 60, said: "The BBC seem to be sending us every programme going.

"We reached out in the first instance and didn't hear back for several months. Then they came once and obviously liked the set up so they kept coming back.

"The antiques programmes bought items each time they visited. They have mainly purchased silverware. They took the items to auction, and made money out of us.

"We don't make a lot of money from the shop, so this is really good advertising for us."

The most recent filming took place in June and July, when film crews from Celebrity Antiques Road Trip and Make Me a Dealer visited.

This Morning's Dr Ranj Singh, who also starred on Strictly, and Scottish antiques expert and television personality Anita Manning, also paid the shop a visit as part of the filming.

"It is really great for us", said Mrs Jackson, aged 57. "We had stars from the antiques programmes inside our shop, bartering with us, knocking you down as low as you can go on your prices.

"Anita Manning purchased a Rennie Mackintosh silver teaspoon from us. They paid £15 for it here, then went on to sell it for £200. I think we had it handed to us with a load of junk.

"She also purchased a mid-Victorian silver-plated pepperette, which women would have been used for blot powder, and a silver ladies purse."

Classical Times was also filmed in October 2018 for Antiques Road Trip, and in November 2018 along with other Blackburn Street shops such as Bargain World, for Sky One comedy show Brassic. Starring Michelle Keegan, Joe Gilgun and Damien Molony, the series is due to air on August 22.

The business owners hope their inclusion in these programmes will raise their profile, and encourage more visitors.

Mr Jackson said: "We have Steiff teddybears, magic lantern slides, and we currently have the world's smallest film camera in. We are like a mini museum in a way; people come in and have a look around, they come to reminisce. People travel from all over the country to visit us."