TUCKED away in a corner of Trafford Park, is an Aladdin's cave of TV, film and theatre props.

Scene Dock Associates can supply everything from gramophones to Greek-style pillars to the old style red phone boxes that used to be on every high street up and down the land.

In fact, there are so many items here it is an overwhelming and awe inspiring experience for the first time visitor. Scene Dock items have appeared on everything from Coronation Street to movies like Star Wars.

Theatres to use the prop hire service include Manchester's Royal Exchange.

Greg White is one of the directors of the company and said the firm is a multi-faceted operation, also storing scenery for the likes of the BBC and Granada. It also has a scenery salvage arm, recycling what he called "art waste" and transports scenery for theatres and events.

He said: "Seventy five per cent of our stock is period, vintage, 16th century right the way up to late 18th century. Tables, chairs, cupboards and even bedding. A true prop is something that you just can't go and buy in a shop. It's the hard to get stuff that we have for rental."

Scene Dock's vast props collection boasts one or two rarities, including 15th century cabinets that are believed to be Portuguese.

For the film Star Wars, Scene Dock supplied the computer like panels used in some of the spaceships.

Props come from a range of sources, including family shopping trips.

He said: "Quite often when a TV show or production finishes they've got a room full of stuff that they've bought for that show and because of our scenery salvage type ethic we don't like anything going in the bin. Quite often we try to reach a cash settlement to buy it all so the props can be re-used in the industry. That's one way of acquiring props very quickly. Also, if I'm out at the weekend with my children and if I see something in a shop and I like it and I think that the clients will like it, I buy it. Obviously if the price is right as well."

Greg, from Wilmslow, spent nearly 20 years working as a prop man in the film and TV industry. His credits include Cutting It, Bend It Like Beckham the recent big screen version of Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe. The project had an iconic figure at the helm, in the shape of the legendary Hollywood director Ridley Scott. Greg said working with Scott was a real pleasure.

He said: "He was an incredible man and he used to draw everything down. It wouldn't necessarily be a plan. The day before he'd just draw it down on the back of a newspaper or a cigarette packet and say that's what I want to make tomorrow. He was very dedicated, very inspirational. Russell Crowe was quite a difficult man to deal with."