No place like gnome: Wacky window cleaner turns cottage into a shrine with 1,600 garden ornaments. Retired window cleaner Ron Broomfield has turned his cottage into a shrine for gnomes - after collecting a whopping 1,600 of them. The 77-year-old became obsessed with the model dwarves 50 years ago when he bought a small group for his garden. He has since amassed a remarkable collection that fills his garden and every room of his cottage. It is thought to be worth over £40,000 .
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| Retired window cleaner Ron Broomfield became obsessed with the model dwarves 50 years ago when he bought a small group for his garden. |
The charity worker has developed such a passion for gnomes that he even dresses up as one twice a week to do his grocery shopping. He also collects money for the the NSPCC while in character. He said: 'Some people laugh and point at me when I go out in my costume but I don't care. I'm in my own little fantasy land and raise money for a great charity.' He keeps a log-book detailing every one he owns and has turned his spare bedroom into a miniature workshop, where he repairs and paints them. His living room, kitchen and bathroom are also lined with shelves, which he put up to display his cherished collection. Mr Broomfield said: 'I just love them. They are such happy little things and always have smiles on their faces.'
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| Ron Broomfield has turned his cottage into a shrine for gnomes - after collecting a staggering 1,600 of them. |
His home aptly named 'Gnome Cottage' is in the Lincolnshire market town of Alford and is testimony to his love for the fairy dwarves. The pensioner says visitors can hardly move because there are 'dwarves everywhere'. Mr Broomfield said: 'I'm not married any more but to be frank there's no room for a woman. 'You can hardly move for gnomes, but that's the way I like it. They've become my life. 'It does make it hard cleaning the house because you have to weave the vacuum cleaner in and out and be careful not to hit them. 'I try to keep them pushed against the side of the room to make it a little easier where I can. 'I've kept a record book detailing my gnomes and when I got them, although they haven't all got names.
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| Broomfield's cottage in Alford, Lincolnshire is testimony to his love for the fairy dwarves. |
'It all started 50 years ago when I bought seven for my garden and then after that I just kept getting one or two here and there and the collection grew. 'They first started coming in the house because I was worried they might get broken outside.' He added: 'My friends and family like to buy me gnomes for my birthday and Christmas but they struggle to remember which ones I already own so I get some duplicates. 'When I first started buying them they cost about £1 each, now they cost up to £250 per gnome. I don't like to think how much I have spent in total.' Mr Broomfield's biggest gnome is some 3ft 6ins tall and his smallest is a quarter of an inch. He is desperately trying to get hold of limited edition gnomes based on hit 2011 animated film Gnomeo and Juliet but he refuses to use the internet to increase his collection. He prefers to receive gnomes as gifts or to buy them from local hardware shops and garden centres.
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