FORGET 10 green bottles, dairy king Paul Luke has ten thousand milk bottles sitting on his shelf – and even has his own milk-themed museum at home.

Paul, 32, certainly has amassed a collosal collection since becoming a milkman’s mate when he was a youngster.

The dad of one, who has the bottles proudly displayed in his mini museum in a shed at his home in Rose Valley Crescent, Stanford-le-Hope, also runs a milk bottle appreciation website for other fanatics.

Paul, who now works as a sales rep for a dairy firm based in Hertfordshire, said: “I started collecting them when I was a kid and it just grew and grew to around 10,000.

“I used to help out all the local milkmen when I was a kid and my enthusiasm just grew from there.

“I’ve worked as milkman myself over the years as well, so it became easy to collect them. Every one has a different advert on the front, printed at some time or another by a variety of dairy companies across the world.”

Paul, who also owns three old fashioned milk floats, started his dairy museum a few years ago.

“I know some people might think it’s odd, but it’s very interesting. My wife tolerates it!” he said. “I’m hoping to get more space one day so I can exhibit the milk floats and even more items.

“The place of the milkman in society has dwindled these days. Years ago everyone had a milkman, but it’s all changed today.

“It’s a shame because it means supermarkets will end up having the monopoly on selling essentials like milk and bread.”

Although it’s not worth a lot financially, Paul thinks his bottle collection is just tops.

“Sometimes my six-year-old daughter Hannah will give me heart failure by picking up a bottle and walking around the house with it, but luckily I’ve not had one broken yet!” he joked.

Anyone who wants to donate milk memorabilia to Paul, or would like to see his museum, should log onto www.milkbottle.org.uk