BACK in 1994 Ulverston had an new attraction for visitors keen on the world of high-speed thrills — the Phil Cotton Classic Bikes Working Museum.

The Mail, on July 22, took a look round the Victoria Road site which was crammed with machines and memorabilia from the 1920s to the modern era of superbike racing machines.

Among the famous British names represented in the constantly changing collection of around 70 bikes were Norton, Royal Enfield. Triumph and BSA.

Grabbing plenty of attention from visitors in 1994 was a Royal Enfield 180 combination, bought new by a window cleaner in 1928 and later restored by a millionaire with his own private mechanic.

Mr Cotton said: "I've been involved with bikes since I was 12-years-old when I was given a 500cc Ariel by the local blacksmith in Cartmel.

"I had to push it from Field Broughton to Kents Bank and as soon as I got it back home I took it to bits, did it up and put it back together again."

His day job had been running a garden machinery firm in Dalton but after that was sold his motorcycle hobby became a business dealing in classic machines.