TELEVISION'S Bargain Hunt team brought some added excitement to the sale room at the Canterbury Auction Galleries.

Presenter David Dickinson said the popular programme had been given a bit more "razzmatazz" to go with its new prime time evening slot on BBC 1.

The auction house's Summer Sale of Antiques and Collectors' Items included three pieces chosen by the contestants. They were a turn of the century child's iron bed, a 1950s HMV television in a walnut case and a stone figure of an heraldic lion.

Mr Dickinson said: "I am not in the buying market these days but even after 30 years in the trade, I still get a buzz from looking around the sale room. We are recording for the autumn series today and it is a bit more showy because of the prime time slot."

The series has used the Canterbury Auction Galleries as a venue several times before.

Auctioneer Tony Pratt said: "It always gives the sale room a bit of extra excitement. There is no doubt the programme has raised people awareness of antiques and we are seeing more people attending auctions."