Unique collection of microcars to go under the hammer in Kent

• Report by ITV Meridian's Tony Green

More than 40 microcars that formed a private collection are to be sold at auction, giving enthusiasts a rare chance to find some very rare cars.

Edwin and Jean Hammond bought an old pig farm in the Kent village of Hawkenbury.

They spent more than 40 years building up the collection, sometimes saving cars from the scrapheap and scouring Autotrader each weekend.

Their restoration was a labour of love for the couple.

It began with a Heinkel bubble car they bought in 1976 for their teenage son Andy, instead of the motorbike that he wanted.

Now the car they called Kermit because of its signal green colour, is one of the lots with a guide price of £8,000 - £9,000.

"I don't think I was terribly enamoured at first, but, you know, it grew on me, son Andy Hammond said.

"What dad really liked about the micro cars is the fact that they were unusual.

"The more unusual they were, the more Dad liked them."

The couple's dream was to open a purpose built museum.

Sadly Edwin died before that dream became a reality in 2003. Now Jean has moved into a care home and the collection is being sold.

Auctioneer Richard Bromell said: "I've only been involved in auctioning for 37 years and in 37 years I can only say I have never seen anything at all like this is fantastic.

"Size does not mean value. One of the smaller cars that's the peel P50 it's got a 49 CC engine is estimated between 80,000 and £100,000.

"The size definitely does not matter in the micro car world."

The cars will be auctioned online on Thursday October 27.