Video: 18 years of TV's Heartbeat memories under the hammer

For viewers with a tear in their eye for when Nick Berry first began pounding a beat in Aidensfield – becoming TV's highest-paid actor in the process – a unique auction on Saturday offers fans the chance to own a piece of their favourite show.

Those who really want to lock themselves up with their memories of some of the programme's bad boys – including actor Daniel Craig – can even bid for parts of the prison cell where Bill Maynard, as Greengrass, spent many an episode.

The cell, along with the pub set, is among the star buys dating back to the very first episode of the series – which was finally to die under the weight of too many episodes combined with ITV cuts.

After Heartbeat was cancelled after an astonishing 17 seasons, ITV chiefs, who had taken over the show from Yorkshire TV, did not know what to do with all the things left over from the filming.

Location shooting had taken place at Goathland village on the North York Moors. But wardrobe, props and scenery were in storage all over Yorkshire.

The answer was provided by the show's former location manager Mike Wedgewood, who had been one the casualties of job cuts when production wrapped in May 2008.

Mr Wedgewood, who has now retrained as a teacher, was concerned that all the memorabilia from the show did not end up on the scrap heap and struck a deal with ITV to auction it off.

He said: "I was fully aware of the wealth of public support for the programme, having witnessed groups of hundreds of dedicated Heartbeat fans watching us filming on location, week in, week out and in all weathers.

"Heartbeat has had a hugely impressive longevity –17 years is a fantastic achievement for any TV series – and this success is largely due to its loyal viewership.

"That was the motivation behind creating the auction event; to make some authentic memorabilia available to the fans, allowing them to take home their own memento from a show they had enjoyed watching and helped to succeed, for so many years."

The auction will run to 170 lots, ranging from furniture to props, from maps to road signs, from sets to costumes.

All are on a the 1960s theme which producer saw as crucial to the show's success – after storylines reached the end of the period the show spent its last six years time-warped in 1969 rather than move into the 1970s.

Mr Wedgewood said public reaction to the sale had been fantastic. "Whitby and Goathland are both buzzing with anticipation and I've even been contacted by an Australian fanatic who wants to bid by telephone all the way from down under," he said.

Special guests on the day will include David Lonsdale, who played David Stockwell and his beloved dog. "Auctions are always exciting, but this one promises to be extra special," added Mr Wedgewood.

The sale is being hosted by Richardson and Smith Auctioneers of Whitby at West Cliff Sale Rooms, 19 Silver Street, Whitby, YO21 3BX, on Saturday at 11am.

Viewing is from 9.30am on Thursday. For information visit http://web.me.com/

theheartbeatauction.

ITV, which owns the brand, says buyers can only purchase items for non-commercial use.