The Archers: Radio 4 drama series scripts up for auction

The scripts and photo card are expected to sell for a "significant sum" a spokesman for Cuttlestones' auctioneers said

A set of 10 scripts from BBC Radio 4's The Archers is going under the hammer in the West Midlands.

The Archers is a radio drama series recorded in Birmingham and set in the fictional village of Ambridge.

The scripts were copies addressed for the attention of Harry Oakes, who played the character of Dan Archer from the middle-class farming family.

Five of the scripts are from the first few episodes of the show, which was aired for the first time in 1951.

The remaining scripts are thought to be from a pilot episode.

'Broadcast history'

There is also a photo card signed by cast members including Harry Oakes, Gwen Berryman, Pamela Mant, Norman Painting, Ysanne Churchman, Pauline Seville, Eddie Robinson, Bob Arnold, Leslie Bowmar, Denis Folwell, Thelma Rogers and Arnold Peters.

The scripts are expected to sell for a "significant sum" at Cuttlestones in Wolverhampton.

Cuttlestones' auctioneer and valuer Dave Eglington said the last script from episode one of the show sold at auction in Sotheby's for £6,875 in July.

"These scripts are a piece of true broadcasting history and what I feel makes them especially interesting are the annotations - there are even phonetic notes in the margin to ensure that actors used the local vernacular - like switching 'yes' for 'aye'," he said.

The collection currently belongs to a Birmingham collector who stubbled across them in a bulk of papers he bought 15 years ago.

The auction is due to be held on 7 September.