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A selection of Star Wars Return of the Jedi figurines that were recovered from the Frank Beech Toy Shop in Holywell in Wales, after the store closed in 2009.

A selection of Star Wars Return of the Jedi figurines that were recovered from the Frank Beech Toy Shop in Holywell in Wales, after the store closed in 2009. Image by Vectis Auctions/PA Wire

A treasure trove of old toys and games has been discovered in a shop which first opened more than 70 years ago.

The Frank Beech Toy Shop was well-known throughout the town of Holywell in North Wales for its vast array of toys and popular window displays.

But in 2009 it closed its doors to the public, bringing to an end many decades of service since its opening by Frank Beech in the 1940s.

Amazingly though, the contents of the store remained untouched and an auction house has now recovered 120 pallets of toys dating back to the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.

A selection of toys from Frank Beech shop up for auction.

A selection of toys from Frank Beech shop up for auction. Image by Vectis Auctions/PA Wire

These include boxes of Star Wars figures, Action Man and accessories, trains, Dinky cars, Timpo toys and Britains soldiers, dolls, tinplate and plastic, Airfix and many board games.

All the items are expected to appeal to collectors from across the country when they go on sale later this month at Vectis Auctions in Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees.

Despite damp creeping into the shop and damaging some of the boxes, the company said the items remained in great condition.

The exterior of the Frank Beech Toy Shop in Holywell in Wales, which was closed in 2009.

The exterior of the Frank Beech Toy Shop in Holywell in Wales, which was closed in 2009. Image by Vectis Auctions/PA Wire

A spokesman from the auction house said: “The items are likely to appeal to collectors and dealers as the toys have stood in the closed-up shop for many years.

“Our specialists are working through the collection one pallet at a time and so we could find many hidden treasures as the sale is uncovered.”

Last month a collection of 3,000 toy cars, trucks and trains went up for sale at the toy specialist auction house and fetched a total of £227,000.

And in February, £18,000 was paid there for a pristine Star Wars Boba Fett figure.

(Press Association)