Airline sick bags are not the most appealing of items to collect.

However, one of the more bizarre exhibitions at Worthing Museum and Art Gallery reveals the essential in-flight accessories have a novelty value worth displaying.

Several dozen airline sick bags are being shown in the Norwood Gallery as part of a display featuring often quirky items from seven local collectors.

The paper bags are the pride and joy of Jenny Davey. She said: "I started collecting sick bags in the Seventies when my brother went to New York on Sir Freddie Laker's Skytrain.

"I asked him to bring me back something from his trip and one of the things was a sick bag. That inspired me to start collecting them when I started to fly.

"I also got friends to bring them back from holidays. I now have about 150 and am still on the look out."

Her collection includes a limited edition range called Design for Chunks specially commissioned by Virgin Atlantic.

Jenny, a self-employed hairdresser in her forties, from the Horsham area, said: "As you can see they are all very colourful and amusing to look at."

Other bags on display were issued by various foreign airlines flying to countries such as China and Saudi Arabia.

The exhibition also includes a bag for a simulator ride in Las Vegas, an RAF Chinook helicopter bag, and several bags marked Star Wars which were produced as movie merchandise.

Jenny, who normally keeps the bags in a box at home, said: "I have actually met someone just recently who works for an airline so he is able to collect a few of the new ones.

"He has also started to collect them himself so I cannot be that mad. Last weekend I got the new set from Virgin Atlantic. Don't think I sit down and look at them all the time because I don't."

Jenny did not think the bags were worth much although some, especially from airlines which had gone out of business, had novelty value.

Kate Rose, curator of the exhibition, said: "Some of the bags are fantastic. They are really great designs."

The exhibition, which runs until September 2, also features dozens of wax seals, dolls and badges, including a Blue Peter badge and a Learner Lover badge in the shape of a heart which was produced by Jackie magazine in the Seventies.