A vintage fun fair that has played a key part in many of our childhoods has failed to find a buyer.

In April 2022 Carters Steam Fair announced their final tour of their unique collection of fairground rides.

Since the end of the tour, Joby Carter and his team have said they have "done everything" to raise awareness of the sale of the fair and have spoken to relevant individuals involved with heritage and the arts, government representatives, national organisations and potential investors.

"Our goal was to find a new permanent home for the complete collection," Joby said.

"Sadly, this has not been possible, and we have exhausted all options trying to find a buyer for the fair as a whole."

He added that discussions have brought to light how prospective buyers would like to buy rides individually, leading to the final auction of the fair which was announced on Wednesday, September 27.

Items for sale from the collection of rides include the British Galloper horses which date back to the 1890s.

The dodgem cars are also up for sale alongside rare vintage vehicles which are used to pull and power the fair.

Joby added: "I know that our fans will be sad to see the collection broken up and we were humbled by the outpouring of support we had throughout our final 2022 tour.

"I’ve always said that I am merely a custodian of these heritage rides and if we need to find individual homes for their legacy to continue then it feels like the right thing to do.

"The positive side of this is that the rides can now be experienced and enjoyed by an even wider audience geographically if they are bought by attractions in locations where we did not take our annual tour."

The funfair has a rich history and has been featured in blockbuster movies such as Paddington 2 and Rocketman and primetime TV shows including Worzel Gummidge and Call the Midwife.  

During October the rides will be brought out of storage and assembled for potential buyers to view.

Fans of the fair have a final opportunity to see the rides at the White Waltham headquarters on Saturday, October 28 and Sunday, October 29 from 10am to 10pm. Entry is free.

Remaining funfair merchandise, signage or staff uniform will also be available to buy.