The world's largest collection of toy soldiers is to be auctioned after all 250,000 were found in British collector's garage.

The quarter-of-a million military people and vehicles of tiny lead, metal and plastic figures belonged to a man who sadly died of leukemia aged just 55.

Carmelo Mazzotta began collecting toy soldiers as a boy and dedicated his life to them.

The collection, some of which was displayed in their individual regiments in the garage, is understood to be the biggest in the world ever to go to auction.