A HEREFORDSHIRE town appeared on BBC’s Bargain Hunt this week, as two teams put their antique-hunting skills to the test while the presenter learnt about local cider.

The teams scoured the Secondhand Warehouse in Leominster to find their three items to take to auction.

Expert Kate Bliss, who hails from Herefordshire herself having grown up in the county and attended Hereford Cathedral School, teamed up with the red team, married couple Michelle and Johnny.

The other expert Tim Weeks joined the blue team, brother and sister Perry and Anne.

Having browsed the wares of the antiques centre, the blue team bought a hand-painted jug for £32, a 1960s portable radio for £16, and a 19th-century velvet-top trinket box for £110. This left £142 for Weeks’ bonus buy.

The red team, meanwhile, found a piece of £119 glassware, a £29 page holder, and a £42 silver pin, leaving Bliss with £110 for her bonus buy.

Ledbury Reporter: Tim Weeks and Elizabeth Pimblett at Hereford's Cider MuseumTim Weeks and Elizabeth Pimblett at Hereford's Cider Museum (Image: BBC Studios)

After the visit to the Secondhand Warehouse, Charlie Ross went to Hereford’s Cider Museum to learn all about Herefordshire cider.

He spoke to the museum’s director Elizabeth Pimblett, who explained: “In 1888, the Bulmer brothers bought this land. There were ten acres here. They were helped by their father who was a vicar, he was a reverend, and he loaned them some money to start. But a lot of people protested in Herefordshire that this cidermaker, this vicar, was bringing disrepute to his calling.

“Throughout history, there was the very fine cider, and then you had the rougher cider that would be given to the workers.

“In 1763 they brought in a tax, and we had cider riots. They were good at rioting in those days.”

Ross also looked at various cider glasses and historic paintings by two Herefordshire women documenting the county’s fruit for the famous Pomona book.

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After the segment on cider, the red and blue teams’ items were all taken to auctioneers in Bristol, where auctioneer Andy Stowe put them under the hammer.

Both teams took a hit at auction – the red team lost £71, and the blue team lost £100.

You can watch the episode on BBC Iplayer.