HISTORY went on the move this week when hundreds of old vehicles descended on The George at Longbridge Deverill for the annual Noggin, Nosh & Natter.

The event started 32 years ago with a group of vintage enthusiasts with a shared interest in old machines meeting for a meal and a drink. Now it's the biggest mid-week vehicle gathering in the south west with more than 1,500 old vehicles turning up for the impromptu show.

Founder John Pomeroy said he is always staggered by the amount of interest.

He said: "We never advertise, it just happens. It's scheduled for the last Wednesday night in July each year and hundreds always remember.

"Visitors can get up close to the vehicles of yesteryear: youngsters can get to know how trucks cars and bikes looked in bygone years and the older generations can reflect on the vehicles of their youth.”

Mary Bailey, vice chairman of Commercial Transport in Preservation, said: "Vintage vehicles of every shape and size attract huge crowds to the annual Noggin Nosh and Natter.

"It's a very friendly gathering. Visitors can look around the old vehicles and chat to the owners.”

Among the old machines on show was a fully restored Morris Eight belonging to Tony Hale of Westbury. His immaculate car cost £118 in 1936 but is now worth many thousands.

Warminster’s Ivan Mitchell took his fully restored 1924 Francis Barnett motorcycle to the show. He has stripped down every nut and bolt and rebuilt the rare machine.

He said: "It's been a 12-month project and I travelled all over the country to get parts, including a gearbox from Coventry.”

Trowbridge’s Eric Noden brought his 1960 Vauxhall Victor Series 1.

He said: "This is my rolling restoration project. I've fitted a Rover V8 engine and I'm always adapting parts for this lovely old machine.”

Holt’s Adrian Cottle, membership secretary of Police Cars UK, had one of his former police cars, a Ford Zephyr 6, on display.