A battered old Harry Potter book that’s full of doodles and was picked up for 50p is expected to sell for up to £3,000 at auction.
Said to have been found among the dusty boxes of a charity shop in Manchester by a local businessman, the rare first edition copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was printed in 1997, is one of just 500 hardback copies from the first run, and has a child’s scribbled drawings all the way through.
The novel is to be auctioned on Wednesday at Hansons Auctioneers in Staffordshire, with a guide price of £2,000 to £3,000.
The seller of the book, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he had no idea it was original copy when he first bought it, and explained: “I just spotted the back cover with the image of the wizard and thought it looked interesting.
“It was only 50p. I found it in one of those traditional charity shops packed with boxes.
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“Around Christmas time, I decided to contact Hansons to check whether it was a first edition and they confirmed that it was – a nice surprise to say the least.”
The book is one of just 500 hardback copies from the first run / Credit: Hansons
In the same sale, Hansons is also offering a pristine copy of the same book – which currently belongs to books collector who has kept it in darkness to protect it from the light within a protective cover for 25 years – with an estimate of £40,000 to £60,000.
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A near-pristine copy also sold for more than £350,000 last December.
Speaking on the books ahead of the auction this week, Jim Spencer – books expert at Hansons Auctioneers – said: “In essence, we have two first issue hardbacks – one carefully preserved and unread, the other thoroughly enjoyed and read to death, but the question is, which one was loved the most? Or enjoyed the most?”
The battered old copy was said to have been found among dusty boxes at a charity shop in Manchester / Credit: Hansons
“Arguably, the damaged one tells its own important story,” he continued.
“I always like to imagine historians of the future gazing at something like this, the doodles and naive fan art, the evidence it was read over and over again – it would surely give them a true sense of Harry Potter fever.”
The books will be offered in the ‘Library and Harry Potter Auction’ at Hansons Auctioneers on Wednesday 9 March.
Featured Image – Hansons
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Half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner, new survey reveals
Emily Sergeant
Christmas dinner is one of the key parts of any festive celebration.
No matter whether you choose to tuck into a traditional roast with all the trimmings and lashings of gravy, or you prefer to go for something a little different like a curry or a Chinese instead, your Christmas dinner is a chance to gather round with your loved ones and enjoy one of the heartiest meals you’ll likely have all year.
However, some shocking new figures have revealed that half of Manchester residents have no clue how to even cook a Christmas dinner.
Through a major study by the UK’s leading electrical retailer, AO.com, it was revealed that the majority of our city’s residents are “losing confidence” in preparing even the simplest of British dishes – with a traditional roast or Christmas dinner being one of them.
A new survey has revealed that half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner / Credit: Freepik | GoodFon
As part of its new campaign to get Brits back into the kitchen, AO found that just 57% of respondents reckon they would be able to make a roast dinner, 52% could whip up a classic shepherd’s pie, 58% could cook bangers and mash, merely 61% could prepare a full English breakfast, and again, only 57% could tackle fish and chips.
Classic desserts are clearly a struggle for us Mancs too, according to the survey, as only 19% of respondents said they’d feel confident cooking a Christmas pudding.
The survey also found that nationwide, it was Gen Z – those between the age of 16 and 27 – that are the least confident in their ability to cook great British classics, while on the other end of the spectrum, Baby Boomers are the most capable, proving that culinary confidence increases with age.
Our region’s residents are apparently ‘losing confidence’ at cooking simple British classics / Credit: Freepik
Commenting on the results, Jay Lockton, oven expert at AO.com, said: “Kitchens should be a place of creativity and joy, but our data shows that a lot of people in Manchester are losing confidence in preparing even the simplest of British dishes.
“Based on our findings, many younger people may be opting for convenience foods or takeaways due to their busy schedules and the perception that cooking from scratch is time-consuming or difficult.
“But with simple guidance and the right tools, we believe everyone can rediscover the joy and simplicity of homemade meals.”
Featured Image – gpointstudio (via Freepik)
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New Hairy Bikers documentary to take viewers on ’emotional journey’ in tribute to Dave Myers
Emily Sergeant
A new documentary paying an emotional tribute to late Hairy Biker Dave Myers is set to air on the BBC in the run up to Christmas.
Dave Myers – who was most well-known for being one half of the famous Hairy Bikers duo that starred in the BBC cookery and travel show of the same name, alongside Si King – died earlier this year (28 February 2024) after revealing back in May 2022 that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and was undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
The final Hairy Bikers episode aired on 19 March following Dave’s passing, and viewers tuned in in their tens of thousands to watch the beloved show that had been entertaining the masses for close to two decades.
🏍️ Si King celebrates the life of fellow Hairy Biker and best friend Dave Myers in a special one-off BBC documentary
Si picks out key moments from the past 25 years of the pair's TV careers in The Hairy Bikers: You’ll Never Ride Alone
But despite that being the final episode with Dave involved, there’s still one last chapter left to tell.
Set to air on BBC Two on Monday 23 December, viewers will be invited on an “emotional journey” through the Hairy Bikers story with Si King, as he celebrates the life of his best mate and former TV partner.
The documentary follows Si as he leads a motorcycle convoy to Dave’s hometown of Barrow-in-Furness, while archive material, new interviews, and previously-unseen footage is shown to help celebrate Dave’s life.
A new Hairy Bikers documentary will take viewers on an ’emotional journey’ in tribute to Dave Myers / Credit: BBC / South Shore Productions
You can relive the journey that took Dave around the world while cooking up a storm as one of television’s greatest-ever double acts.
“I’m incredibly proud of the programme because it’s a tribute to my best mate,” Si King said.
“It was an amazing experience, I didn’t quite know what to expect. That was the whole thing, none of us did. We thought at the most we’d get 10,000 bikes, we didn’t dream it would be 46,000 motorcycles and a 30-mile tail, it was just insane. I just felt enormously privileged.”
Emily Sergeant -
7th March 2022 
