A FERNDOWN man has begun to auction hundreds of Marmite memorabilia items collected by his wife before she passed away from cancer.

David Walker, 51, after given directions from his wife Laura Walker in her will, has begun to sell her vast collection of Marmite for The British Heart Foundation.

Laura died in 2020 from bladder cancer aged 45 but in her life had been a Marmite enthusiast and built a collection of more than 300 different jars and memorabilia.

David said: "I ended up doing 19 hours yesterday just responding to people and then selling products. Laura wanted me to sell every item individually because that would raise the most amount of money towards the British Heart Foundation. 

"We were together for 12 years and she'd been doing it since before then. We moved in together and she said 'I've got to show you something' and she showed me boxes of it."

With objects dating as far back as the early 20th century, David has already sold certain jars for £150 and expects to sell other objects for more. 

This includes a limited edition Paddington Marmite collector's item from 2009 which remains unopened, an extra large vintage glass Marmite jar and three jars dug from a garden that date back to the company's birth.

David said: "I sold a 1oz yesterday for £100 and for other items I'll be looking for between £300 to £500. 

"The oldest set on the table is the brown glass jars that were dug up from the garden. Somebody knew that Laura liked Marmite and they just gave them to her."

Laura was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2018 and had an eight-hour operation in the same year to remove the cancer.

While said to have been cancer-free afterwards, shadows were later detected on her liver in 2019.

David said: "She looked heavily pregnant. You see this mass growing in front of your eyes.

"I can't put into words how scary it was."

A garage sale will also be held on July 13 to help raise money.

David hopes to raise as much as he can to fulfil his wife's wishes but was clear on his opinion on Marmite, however. 

He said: "I hate that stuff."