David Dickinson's golden rule for fans on hunt for bargains

Antiques dealer David Dickinson admitted there is one place he would never go if he was on the hunt for a bargain. The TV presenter, who turns 84 today, has been a household name since he became the presenter of Bargain Hunt in 2000. He left the popular BBC programme behind in 2004 and went on to front Dickinson's Real Deal from 2006. Having been involved with antiques for several decades, the star shared his expert tips for those in search of hidden treasures.

"My advice to people is go to your local salesroom. It doesn't cost you anything," he said. "You can have a wander around. You can pick up a catalogue." The host continued: "You can look at items which possibly something would appeal to you for your home that could be decorative and something that you're going to enjoy. I think that's a really good starting point."

Revealing the one place he would advise people against going, Dickinson added to MailOnline: "I wouldn't even consider car boot sales. Although I'm not saying that some lucky person doesn't go out at 5am in the morning and find what looks like a piece of costume jewelry that turns out to be a valuable piece of jewelry.

"Also use quality as your yardstick. I have found quality is always more expensive on the day, but it never lets you down in the long run. I think you're safer with that."

Years before landing his breakthrough TV role, Dickinson was sentenced to four years in prison for a mail-order clothing scam. He served three years mainly at Manchester's Strangeways prison, following his arrest at the age of just 19.

He has been open about his time spent behind bars, previously telling The Mirror: "I hated every moment but I knew I had to get through. I vowed I would never do anything to put myself back in this position. I had brought shame on my family, I'd been a cocky young thing. The fear was horrendous. All I could think was, 'what have I done?'"

Dickinson spoke of his "fear and despair" after being locked away with murderers, gangsters and spies, including Peter Kroger, an American secret agent who spied for the Russians in the 1950s and stole atomic secrets.

"The only way to survive each day was to take it on the chin," he said. "It was like facing the bullies at school, but far worse - every day there was a new dragon to defeat.

Dickinson added: "The biggest ones were despair and fear - there are men who have nothing to lose by hurting or killing."

Reflecting on the past, his wife Lorne Lesley, who he married in 1968, previously revealed: "Prison was tougher in those days and he went through it at a young age. It was 40 years ago and he doesn't talk about it, but it had a lasting effect on him."