16 April,2009 08:06 AM IST | | Agencies
Looking at Paul and Pauline Allen's well polished fireplace, you would never imagine everything down to the coal holder was salvaged from visits to the local rubbish dump.
Studying at art school in Brighton during the 1960s, the couple developed their childhood love for jumble sales by visiting second-hand shops for vintage clothes.
Since then they have collected anything that catches their eye, finding everything from champagne flutes to iron claw foot baths in the dumps near their home.
Paul says his ability to find attractive items where others only see rubbish comes from an appreciation of beautiful things.
The Allens have also found a Victorian kitchen, framed Victorian photographs and a suitcase full of wartime dressu00a0 patterns.
A cocktail dress found in another dump is now worn by their daughter to parties at Cambridge University.
