A line-up of retro cars has wowed residents at a Swindon hotel.

Around 20 Wolseley Hornet Specials, nearly 100 years old, came to Blunsdon House Hotel for the Wolseley Hornet Special Club annual meeting.

The cars, reportedly favoured by royalty, surprised hotel residents for the second time after the previous weekend’s McLaren Owner’s Club meeting.

Lyndsey Dempster, hotel events executive said: “We’ve gone from one extreme to the other - a couple of weeks ago it was brand new McLarens through to the Wolseley Hornets which are about 90 years old.”

The weekend before 25 multicolour McLarens drew the attention of the hotel guests, but Lydsey said people were equally impressed by the Hornets.

The Wolseley Hornet is a 6-cylinder, four-seater car from the 1930s made in Birmingham by Wolseley Motors Limited.

It originally sold for £175, and could reach around 75 mph. The Times reported in 1933 that the then Duke of Gloucester had purchased one for himself.

Lydsey said that at the hotel “there’s something for everybody”, with a spa, pool and kids play area.

The discreet location and the hotel’s focus on security is another reason for car club popularity. This is why the car meets are never advertised before they happen.