COUNCILLORS in Clitheroe have started dishing out thousands of pounds worth of town hall silver after it became too costly to insure.

And three trophies suitable for drama prizes are still up for grabs, one worth £3,000.

Clitheroe Town Council decided to offer 14 trophies and salvers worth from £300 to £3,000 each to schools and organisations -- for free.

The council was inundated with inquiries since the great giveaway was reported in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph in May.

The trophies and salvers are various shapes and sizes, bear numerous inscriptions and most date to the late 19th Century. Councillors decided the silverware had become too expensive to insure and maintain after a valuation by Sotheby's revealed its sale value had dropped. Silverware experts from the top auction house said Victorian silverware was currently fetching only 20 per cent of its replacement value.

So they decided to give the trophies and salvers, worth over £11,000 in total, to local schools and organisations.

Recipients so far have been Clitheroe Garden Club, Clitheroe Castle Bowling Club, Clitheroe Wolves FC, Clitheroe and Hyndburn Ladies' Hockey Club, Clitheroe Golf Club and the Oakhill Clarion Cycling Club, in Whalley.

A trophy was also given to the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society for presentation in the Beef Cattle Section in the Royal Lancashire Show.

Town clerk John Wells said items valued at £1,000 or over were on permanent loan subject to conditions on maintenance and cleaning. He added: "Our offer to give the silverware away caused a great deal of excitement."

Charles Jepson, secretary of the Oakhill Clarion Cycling Club, said: "We have a strong commitment to youth development and the trophy will be used to encourage the greater participation of children in cycling activities."

Carolyn Taylor, president of Clitheroe and Hyndburn Ladies' Hockey Club, said: "Our trophy will be awarded annually to our Best Team Player."

If you are interested in the trophies, contact John Wells at Clitheroe Town Council on 01200 424722.