Crowds greet Richard Hammond at Taunton car museum opening

Mr Hammond praised the classic car museum as bringing back memories 'for the average person'.

Huge crowds greeted TV presenter Richard Hamond as he opened a classic car museum in Somerset.

The 53-year-old opened the Taunton County Classics Motor Museum in front of a lively crowd on North Street.

The museum features classic cars from the 1960s to the 1990s and opened on Monday.

The former-Top Gear host said: "This isn't a building full of grand aloof supercars. These are the cars that shaped people's lives."

Mr Hammond was joined by the mayor for Taunton and councillor Mike Best

"These are the cars that took us to school, took us to work. Every corner your turn there's a reminder of what the car has done for us."

"It's amazing to think how such a collection comes together. I don't think that if you sat down with a piece of paper you would list these cars. The museum has grown organically and it has a lot to say."

Mr Hammond was joined by mayor for Taunton Nick O'Donnell and the chair of Somerset council Mike Best.

The museum features classic cars and vehicles for 'the average person'

Businessman and owner Patrick Hawkins said he hoped the museum would "bring the heart back into Taunton town centre".

"My passion has always been about a museum for people," Mr Hawkins said, "People can come here and maybe they used to have one of these cars. And that will really take them back."

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