THE Children in Need charity appeal stepped up a gear as Chris Evans showed off his car collection at the Chewton Glen Hotel yesterday.

The Radio Two star’s fleet of classic cars – dubbed The Dirty Dozen, consisting of his Magnificent Seven Ferrari collection and a clutch of other vintage models he calls The Famous Five – rolled into the grounds of the luxury New Milton hotel at 3pm.

They are taking part in the annual Chris Evans’ Magnificent Seven and Famous Five Drive and Dine, which each year raises around £1m for the BBC campaign, after 12 enthusiasts bid for a place in the event during a live on-air auction in November.

The former TFI Friday host greeted the drivers on the croquet lawn where they had parked up before posing for pictures alongside the cars – which included a 1961 Ferrari TR61, a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 convertible and a 1965 Morris Mini Cooper S.

It is the sixth year running the hotel has played host to the event’s participants and a banquet cooked up by celebrity chef and ex-Chewton employee James Martin was set to be prepared for them in the evening.

The drivers will stay at the hotel until tomorrow before setting off on the next leg of their journey to Berkshire.

Chris’ show will come from the hotel this morning and tomorrow.

Chewton Glen’s managing director Andrew Stembridge said: “It has been a pleasure to be involved with this fabulous fundraising event for Children in Need over the past six years and we are delighted to be able to welcome the drivers.”