YOU don't so much walk into Victoria Wood's country cottage as step on board!

Six hundred feet above sea level in Harrop Fold, Clitheroe, is the largest single collection of steam boat paraphernalia in the UK.

And it's full steam ahead for Victoria, who has just published a book outlining how she came by a collection that is the envy of maritime enthusiasts throughout the country.

'Ted's Clacton Belle' tells the tale of her grandfather, William Edward Groom, who was passionate about the London steam paddlers and chose the Clacton Belle as the perfect place to propose to wife Fanny in 1903.

London-born Ted was employed by the South Metropolitan Gas Company and worked on a flotilla of tugs that pulled ships up the Thames.

Paddle steamers, nicknamed butterfly boats, opened up Clacton to thousands of day-trippers looking for a bracing break from the smog of London.

The Clacton Belle was built in 1890 by the Clacton Pier Company and at 246ft long, with a beam of 26ft 6in and weighing 258 tons, was the pride of the Belle Steamer Fleet.

Her normal route was up the East Coast of England as far as Harwich, stopping off at Clacton, Walton and Felixstowe.

Victoria said: "The steamer companies invested heavily in the coastal towns and built piers to welcome the new boom industry, but boats, the Clacton Belle included, were commandeered during the First World War.

"They became quite famous, occupying a special place in the hearts of people for their heroic efforts transporting soldiers and supplies.

"After the war they were broken up and my grandfather went from dock to dock salvaging everything he could."

Ted retrieved barometers, fire buckets, log books, seating, brasswork, furniture, doorplates, signs, clocks and posters.

He outlived his son, Frederick, so the collection duly passed to granddaughter Victoria upon her father's death in 1989.

"My grandfather was passionate about the steam paddlers and I was staggered by the extent of his collection. It is thought to be the largest single collection of steam boat paraphernalia in the UK.

"Ted's passion and tenacity has meant hundreds of artifacts over a hundred years old are still in pristine condition."

Victoria grew up in Langho and farmed at Harrop Fold with husband Peter for 43 years until retiring four years ago.

Ted's Clacton Belle is published by Cremer Press in Blackburn and copies priced £9.50 are available from Victoria Wood on 01200 447600.