Former supermarket manager celebrates as dream toy shop 'with a difference' opens up to shoppers

Steve Riley, 55 and from Cleehill, has long dreamed of opening up his very own toy shop after catching the bug working for a model railway retailer many years ago.

For the last four years he's been selling toys online and in Ludlow market under the name of Ludlow Vintage Toys.

After retiring from his job as a store manager in Ludlow's Aldi last year, Steve decided to take a giant leap and move his business into 10 Tower Street in the town centre.

Ludlow Mayor, Councillor Beverley Waite and Deputy Mayor Councillor Tim Gill did the honours of cutting the ribbon on the new shop on Friday.

Steve said he was "very pleased" with how the store was looking, and was already preparing for what he imagines will be a busy period in the run up to Christmas.

Those on the hunt for the next 'big thing' will have to look elsewhere - as the store specialises in a special kind of nostalgia.

Steve described the store as a "toy shop with a difference", stocking traditional toys like BRIO, Hornby railways and wooden toys - and Lego, of course.

"I'm going to let the big boys worry about which of the toys are going to be the big sellers for Christmas," he said.

"Lego will do well, it always does. But here in Ludlow there's a lot of interest in Britains farm toys because of the area we're in."