ALL clouds had silver linings at Beaulieu's National Motor Museum when thousands of motoring enthusiasts flocked to its autojumble.

Despite the rain which sent people diving for cover on Saturday, the organisers were still able to report a reasonable first day crowd and a really good attendance yesterday.

The icing on the cake came at a successful Bonham's auction which saw almost £1m change hands on Saturday afternoon.

It featured the collection of millionaire Edwin C Jameson Jr, an American who spent part of each year living beside the Hamble River until his death last year.

The auction of nearly 170 lots - just his British collection - netted £946,000. Top amount paid was £240,000 for a 1929 Bentley Tourer, but the real surprise was provided Mercedes spares which was split into three lots.

All three went for well over their guide price and the best of the bunch - enough to make a complete Mercedes SS chassis - was finally sold for £166,500, which was around five times its guide price.

Auctioneer Malcolm Barber said: "Mr Jameson was a great motoring enthusiast, and a good customer for us too.

The autojumble attracted a wide variety of memorabilia, spares, books, clothes, motors, models and manuals as well as approaching 200 cars in its automart which ranged from a humble Morris Traveller to a 1924 Studebacker Special.

For those who battled against the elements in their waterproofs and wellies, it was a car restorer's dream, with bits and pieces for almost every make.

Special metal tracking was laid to make life easier on the main walkways and straw was brought in at strategic spots to prevent the corners of the grassed areas from becoming a problem.

"It has gone extremely well and it looks as if the overall figures will be quite close to last year's, when we had a beautifully sunny weekend," said public relations officer Margaret Rowles.