Memories came racing back for those who came to the opening of an new exhibition dedicated to toys and games throughout the ages.

’Playful Past: Our Journey with toys’, the latest exhibition put together by Anthea Young, the educational services officer with Manx National Heritage, is on display at the House of Manannan, and features a range of toys, games, childhood keepsakes and some examples of rare models and creations that have kept the people of the Isle of Man entertained since their very early childhoods.

There were also exhibits from the top model and toy designer Steve Allen, who has worked with Disney and the Jim Henson Studios. Steve loaned some of his rare prototype toys of much-loved childhood figures, such as the TV puppets from Fraggle Rock.

Also included in the exhibition was the Meccano sidecar that he and Oz Clarke rode around the TT course on for a TV programme.

However, most of the exhibits came from personal collections, such as the range of Corgi and Dinky toy cars, owned by Mike Pearce, or the Hornby train sets, loaned by Eddy Ryan and Paul Bolster from Manx Steam and Model Engineering Society.

Many of the toys had personal stories attached, such as the 80-year-old doll, which belongs to former teacher Pam Quine.

She has owned it from new, and remembered buying it from Woolworths with her mother when she dropped and broke her previous doll.

There is also a wooden roundabout, which belongs to Neil Hanson.

Many of the locally-owned toys may have been bought from the toyshop, ’Playground’, which stood on the corner of Duke Street, and changed its name to Toymaster during the 1970s.

The shop belonged to Fred Powell, and his widow, Joan and son Jamie were both present at the opening, which featured photographs inside the shop.

Playful Past: Our Journey with toys’ is open at the House of Manannan until Easter 2018, and is free to enter.