A plethora of Barbie dolls were the stars of the show along with yummy food, gifts for dogs and bargains galore – including didgeridoos and carnivorous plants – at Home-Start Winchester’s annual car boot sale in Bramdean on August 13.

The charity’s volunteers were up with the lark to greet hundreds of keen buyers and sellers from 7am, dodging showers to get ready for the early morning scrum.

The event, in its 36th year, was held in Bramdean courtesy of the Stewart family, and raised £1,300 in just a few hours for the family support charity.

Booters came from across the south to display their wares, including Jennifer and David White from Midhurst, who brought their scary pitcher plants and Venus fly traps, while Claire and Isabella from Alresford seemed to be selling the entire contents of their home in readiness for their move to Italy.

Fourteen-year-old Felix Walker-Nix from Preshaw brought his beautiful wildlife photos. He was recently on Countryfile with presenter Hamza Yassin, picking up tips on capturing wildlife on camera.

Organiser Chrissie Barlow said: ”We are so grateful to Hellards estate agents, who sponsored the event, and to the Stewarts for hosting us again.

“It is such a great venue, with separate parking and acres of fields, though there were a few sleepless nights wondering when, and if, the crops would be cut in time.”

The charity said that despite a tough financial climate and increasing demand for its services, it still had sufficient funds to be able to run all its groups and its home visiting service, and none of its staff were being put on reduced hours.

But it added that it could help more families with more donations and more volunteers.

To find out more about Home-Start Winchester visit www.home-startwinchester.org.uk