For a generation of children they're just the fun extra which comes with your McNuggets.

But for fast food aficionados, McDonald's toys can be a long- term investment with the chance for future profit.

And now, what is believed to be the largest collection of McDonald's memorabilia ever to come up for sale in the UK, is to be auctioned off in Lincoln.

Terry Woodcock, owner of Unique Antiques, where the sale is taking place, said he felt the McMemorabilia was: "the most unique collection that's ever been on the market."

The sale, at 6pm on Wednesday, March 4, will see more than 7,000 items from between 1990 and 1999 go under the hammer.

These include hundreds of posters, happy meal boxes and all 72 toy displays, complete with a full compliment of toys, from that period.

One of the most valuable lots in the auction may be a complete set of the 101 Dalmatians figures, still in their original plastic bags from around Christmas 1996.

Packaged in opaque white plastic bags and sent to restaurants in boxes containing only one type of the toy it could have taken over 5,000 meals to collect every one.

"If somebody wanted to invest some money at the moment they could do a lot worse than this," said Mr Woodcock.

Consumer historian Robert Opie, who assembled the collection housed at the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising in London, was quite sure the auction would be a "rare event."

"It is very much a collectable area and we are all inveterate collectors at heart," he said.

For more information call Terry Woodcock at Unique Auctions on (01522) 690444.

For the full story see Monday's Lincolnshire Echo.