'I had to sell my hard-earned model collection to fund cancer treatment'

A man who is mad about Hot Wheels has had to sell some of his models to pay for cancer treatment. Steve Mason, 69, from Columbus, Ohio, in the US, started collecting toy cars in 1960 after his grandma bought him a Matchbox VW Beetle.

Steve's collection grew so big that he had to build an extension on his house to fit all his cars in. He said his wife Doris was "happy to have her living room and spare room back" after the building work was done.

Steve, whose two sons also collect Hot Wheels, said his hobby has helped him through tough times. He even sold some of his cars to pay for his treatment for bladder and kidney cancer in 2006. He said: "It's an amazing hobby which has helped pull me through some dark, scary, confusing, depressing times,"

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"I'm not sure what will happen to my collection in the future, but I just want people to know how much enjoyment there is in a hobby such as this."

"Not only for the dollar value, but for the sheer fun and enjoyment of collecting and keeping your youth alive somehow."

"I just wanted to play with cars and so I took what money I had left saved up and built a room on the side of my garage."

Steve's grandmother started buying him toy cars when he was five, some of which would later help pay for his house and medical bills.

He said: "She kept buying me more and more for being a good boy, or at Christmas and on my birthday, until I accumulated five full cases of them."

"Then a new series came out called Models of Yesteryear and she bought