CHARITY shops are renowned for their collections of second-hand books and old clothes.

But one volunteer found a hidden gem at Rose Hill’s Helen & Douglas House shop.

Terrie Reynolds, 76, found a 19th-century communion set that raised hundreds of pounds for the East Oxford children’s hospice.

She said: “This communion set came in and I looked at it and thought it was something.

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“A communion set is when you’re dying and you can’t get to the church to see the priest [to perform the Last Rites], so he comes to you at your sickbed.

“We cleaned it up and it was amazing silver. It’s very unusual to get anything like that in the shop.”

The Sandford-on-Thames resident took it to Aylesbury, where ITV were filming for the antiques show Dickinson’s Real Deal in January.

She said: “We would probably have only got about £30 in the shop for it, but we got £300 there.

“There are three pots and the middle one was the most valuable, it was for oils, dated at 1800.

“All the dealers came round and were really excited.”

Ms Reynolds and the communion set will appear on the ITV1 daytime show on Friday at 2pm.

It was not her first time on the show, having previously sold a clock and jewellery from her own home.

She said: “I’m a big fan. He’s an amazing man, he’s very, very professional.

“They make you so welcome, it’s a pleasure to go on the show.”

Helen & Douglas House spokeswoman Lin Crowley said: “This is a fantastic result and shows how brilliant our volunteers can be at spotting potential higher value items. Terrie is a great example of the commitment of our volunteers and we are very appreciative.”

Oxfordshire’s antique-hunters will also be able to have their items valued on the show this weekend.

Host David Dickinson said: “I’m very much looking forward to visiting Oxford, an area of the country I love bringing the show to. I remember visiting the area several years ago. The items brought in were fantastic – great quality – with fabulous history and stories attached.”

Dickinson’s Real Deal will be at Ferry Leisure Centre, in Diamond Place, on Saturday. People can come to the centre for free between 9am and 5pm, bringing items they want valued and a form of ID. The public is also invited to watch the valuations.

Oxford Mail:

Oxford Mail:

Ms Reynolds looks for more treasures in the Rose Hill charity shop, top, and the £300 tea set, above

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