BRICK LAIR

Retired cop seeks museum home for hoard that took over his shed

- FILIPA GASPAR

A MAN with Britain's biggest brick collection is looking for a museum to house them after it built past 4000.

Mark Cranston, 62, began his hobby nearly 15 years ago when he was looking for a doorstop for his garden shed.

He found a white painted brick from a former colliery and the discovery inspired the retired police sergeant to look into its history.

His passion grew from there and over the last 14 years, Mark has amassed a huge collection from Scotland, England, Wales and abroad.

He stores the rare bricks in his garden shed which the dad-of-two has had to extend over the years as his collection grew at his home in Jedburgh, Roxburghshire.

It now measures 20ft long by 10ft wide with multiple shelves - like a library to store the bricks.