A SELF-CONFESSED hoarder has finally yielded to his wife’s pleas to de-clutter their home by opening his own charity shop.

Kind-hearted Godfrey Bennett, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has raised hundreds of pounds for good causes by selling the extensive collection of bric-a-brac he has spent 75 years amassing.

From telescopes, children’s toys and vintage china; to books, vases and household appliances, Allsorts at St Clare’s Church in his hometown is a bargain hunter’s paradise.

Yet unlike conventional charity shops, the majority of Mr Bennett’s stock comes with a story, a story the great-grandfather is happy to share with interested customers.

Whether it be the trouser press he received from a former girlfriend 60 years ago; the skates he acquired while running the Beveridge Roller Dance and Figure Skating Club in the 1960s; the Ingersoll watch his parents gave him for Christmas when he was six-years-old; or the many light fittings he collected while working as an electrician.

Mr Bennett, 75, said: “When I was an electrician I was often asked by customers to throw away their old light fittings.

“I couldn’t bear to do that as there was nothing wrong with them so I saved them from the skip and they accumulated over the years.”

Mr Bennett’s collection grew significantly when he and his wife, Shirley, cleared the homes of their late parents.

At its height their three-bedroom house, loft and garden shed were crammed with his possessions.

He said: “I’ve been a hoarder all my life. I like to collect things and I also hate to throw things away.

“It got to a point, just over a year ago, when my wife joked that if I didn’t do something about it there would be a divorce.

“I hated the thought of it all ending up in the skip when there was a chance I could sell it for charity, even if I only raised a few pennies.

“I didn’t fancy car boot sales but I read that there were rooms available to rent in St Clare’s Church so I decided to open a charity shop.”

Since its launch in November 2013, Mr Bennett has raised hundreds of pounds for worthy causes, including the St Clare’s roof appeal, the Tear Fund and Lifeline Community Actions Helping Hands project.

Allsorts is open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, from 10am to 1pm. Mr Bennett kindly requests for no donations of goods