EVERYONE has to have a hobby, a fun pastime and for some, even an enthusiasm that spirals out of control into their garden and onto the driveway.

That is the case for Ian Suddaby, who lives in New Winton, surrounded in his home, driveway, footpath and garden by about 4,000 bricks!

After moving to the village in 2009, Ian, an archaeologist for CFA Archaeology in Musselburgh, started his own brick collection and quickly started trading with other enthusiasts from around the world.

He now has bricks in his possession from the likes of Russia and the USA. 

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The 61-year-old, originally from Edinburgh, has three grown-up children who sometimes add to his collection by sending over a few bricks while on their travels. 

The Courier was given a tour of Ian's bricks first-hand as he showed us his collection in the driveway, footpath and garden, telling us that it all started because the "names are intriguing".

Ian has not counted his collection since 2013 and told the Courier: "They look great, some of them are a bit chipped round the edges and a lot of them are very rare; a lot of them haven't been recorded before or have a historical significance. 

"The vast amount of these bricks are from Scotland but I do have some that are from abroad. I have several from Russia and several from America.

"Scotland has some of the best brick-making clay in the world, so generally there is no need to import that stuff, so the vast majority of these are Scottish and I have hundreds of bricks from East Lothian and surrounding areas." 

Ian holding a Prestongrange brick (Image: NQ Staff) Ian also showed us a brick all the way from just outside St Petersburg in Russia, where he traded a number of Scottish ones with another brick enthusiast. 

He told us that the number '105' on the top of the Russian brick was there to identify who it was made by.

Ian explained the importance and significance of his brick collection. 

"There are lots and lots of unique products here which are the only examples that have ever been found, and are only in this collection," he said.

But Ian is not the only person with a major brick collection in Scotland.

Mark Cranston, who lives in the Scottish Borders also has about 4,000 bricks himself. 

Ian estimates that their combined brick hauls make up one of the biggest collections in Britain that he knows about. 

Brick collector Ian showed us this brick from Russia  (Image: NQ Staff) But bricks are not the only thing that Ian has been collecting: he also has chimneys and pipes in his back garden. 

Ian in his back garden showing us his chimney collection (Image: NQ Staff)Alas, Ian and Mark are now in early talks with museums where the bricks could be moved to. 

Ian also has some pipes in his collection (Image: NQ Staff)

Ian said: "I would be sad but I would like more people to see my collection in an easily accessible public space.

"My collection has totally expanded, I can't even get my green bin out anymore and I actually have to lift it out, with the bricks taking over.

"I would keep a few, the ones that are in my house, but the vast majority would go."

Can you spot a few familiar names on this shelf? (Image: NQ Staff)