Two rooms are packed to the ceiling with maritime history and the displays include old uniforms, model ships, crests, bottles of rum and magazines and books.

Visitors can use an old ship's telephone and ring a bell.

Mr Smith said the museum was perfect for children as anything not in the cabinets could be picked up and felt first hand.

"It's like being back in the navy", he said. "It is history. Items like this must have taken months to make."

The couple are now urging more schools and others who are interested in history to see the collection, now they have more space.

"We want to get more schools in. They need to know history, where they came from and what life was like before they were born. If it wasn't for the people who were on these ships we wouldn't be here. They do not realise how many thousands and thousands of men were in the services. School children are so interested, but schools don't have time to teach them these things. Really the things that come here people have used."

The pair started the Marshland Maritime Museum five years ago, after spending 27 years collecting. They have spent thousands of pounds on the relics and used their own resources and time to set up the collection. The second bungalow cost £10,000 to build.

Visitors are given a cup of tea or coffee by Mrs Smith and they charge no entry fee, only accepting donations towards the upkeep.

Many of the exhibits from the original part of the museum have been moved into the new area. A model of Nelson's HMS Victory, which was the flagship of the Battle of Trafalgar, has been added to the collection.

A former admiral also donated his uniform, which is on show in the new display.

Naval men from across the country shared a tot of rum in celebration of a bigger and better maritime museum in the west Norfolk village of Clenchwarton yesterday.

A Marshland Maritime Museum treasure - the rum tub - was put into use and filled with Woods rum to mark the opening of a new bungalow which has doubled the size of the fenland museum, which houses an extraordinary collection chronicling the naval history of Britain.

Enthusiasts from across the United Kingdom praised the dedication and efforts of museum curator Mike Smith and his wife Jo, who started the museum five years ago in their back garden, after spending 27 years collecting thousands of pieces of memorabilia.

Many of those at the opening had donated exhibits from their time in the navy, contributing to a wealth of history which fills almost every inch of the two bungalows. Relics include old service records, uniforms, a model ship and old telephones amomg thousands of other pieces to explore.

Mr Smith decided to extend the museum as he was keen to provide extra space for more schoolchildren.

As well as fascinating those with an interest in naval history, the museum has a hands-on approach and children visiting can ring the bell, feel the fabric of the uniform and really find out what it was like to be a sailor.

West Norfolk mayor, Michael Pitcher, performed the opening.

He said: "To have a museum like this in the heart of a village is fantastic."

Guest Bob Dean, from Petersfield in Hampshire, said: "I think the museum is absolutely first class."

President of the Royal Naval Association, Bill Guyan, from King's Lynn said: "Mike has put his heart and soul into the museum and of course people in the Royal Naval Association have given his lots of pieces for the museum.

"There are lots of things which are mementoes which people have kept from the ships they have been on and they have all been donated to the museum It's terrific.

If you would like to visit the marshland maritime Museum contact Mike and Jo Smith on 01553 765530 or email dboats@tiscali.co.uk.

Home museum creates waves of interest in history of the Royal Navy

WORD is slowly spreading about a treasure trove of maritime memorabilia nestled off Main Road, in the heart of Clenchwarton.

It may appear small on the outside. but the converted bungalow boasts an amazing collection of artefacts chronicling British Naval history from the 1700s to the present.

Items on display include photographs, books, models, uniforms and service records as well as some treasures donated by keen divers.

,to and Mike Smith have lovingly collected thousands of items for the museum over the last 30 years, building an extension to double its size earlier this year.

Mr Smith (70) said: "Before the extension, it was packed. You couldn't walk around and we had things in our bungalow next door which we couldn't display. We now have around 3.000 items and I just bought some more bits off Ebay!

"We have had no end of stuff donated, people are bringing things to us all the time. I think they like to have somewhere for their things to go, to think of it being here rather than shut in a cupboard or thrown away. Lots of this stuff would be in the tip if we were not here."

Many items, including a hoard of medals, were left for the museum in the wills of ex-service personnel.

Mrs Smith (55) added: "Most people like to have their name on the item or some kind of recognition, then they get remembered as well."

Around 30 years ago, Mrs Smith was a keen collector of Susie Cooper ceramics and the couple used to go along to collectors' fairs.

Mr Smith began picking up Naval items and soon had quite a collection himself.

H said: "We had two bedrooms of Susie Cooper and two bedrooms of Naval stuff so something had to go!"

The ceramics went to auction and the couple continued to build their Naval collection, eventually opening the museum five years ago.

Mrs Smith said. "I love it. It's part of our history. These people suffered and died for us, why shouldn't we keep their memory alive'' They were young men when they did these things - they were only lads"

Mr Smith was only 14 when he himself joined the Navy, forging his mother's signature so he could signup before his 15th birthday.

He served for 10 years and left in 1961, working for the Lotus F1 team and eventually setting up his own engineering company, Mike Smith Fabrications, in 1976.

News of the museum has gradually spread through word of mouth and articles in the media including the Lynn News.

Last year the museum received global recognition when the International Congress of Maritime Museums, based in New Zealand, listed it among the best naval institutions in the world.

"Sometimes people stay for three hours and then come back again. We have visitors from all walks of life, we even had a professor from Cambridge University. We easily have 1,000 visitors a year.

"We don't charge, but we have a collection box and people are very generous. It's not about the money. It just fits into our life. I always like to bring out tea and biscuits and just have a chat with people. If we're here, then the museum's open. We've heard some fantastic stories," Mrs Smith said.

Among the items on display are gifts sent from sailors to their families and wives at home, including Maltese lace, silk handkerchiefs, sweetheart brooches and postcards.

The museum was recently visited by a couple who were married just a month before he was sent away for two-and-a-half years.

The extension was officially opened by West Norfolk Mayor Michael Pitcher and his wife Gillian at the couple's third fundraiser for Help For Heroes.

The event attracted friends ex-service personnel from around the country, with some travelling from as far away as Northern Ireland, Manchester. Portsmouth, Kent and Somerset. It raised £900 for the charity and they hope to hold the event, with bangers and mash and a traditional tot of rum, again next year. The couple will continue collecting and sharing their passion with the public, and Mr Smith in particular wants to get hold of a binnacle - a case for the ship's navigational equipment for the museum.