ABANDONED, rusting and desolate, the hulking remnants of these old bangers have been claimed by nature.

    German photographer Dieter Klein traveled the world to find vintage cars left to crumble in leafy forests and fields.

    He came across a range of mysterious graveyards hosting all sorts of vehicles, including a rare Jaguar XK120, which, if restored, could be worth £82,000 (US$121,000), and a fleet of vehicles used by the Allies in World War II.

    Many of the cars, often with doors, tires or windows missing, are parked on forest floors where nature has taken them over.

    Dieter, 57, from Cologne, first came across a Citroen truck that had been dumped in a bush six years ago.

    After witnessing how the foliage had grown in and around the man-made machine, he was hooked and began to track down other unusual resting places.

    Dieter said: “In Belgium I came across a place with about 250 cars, untouched in a little wood. The cars have rusted over time and the paintwork has dulled.

    “The place was founded by the Allies after WWII. They left these cars in a little wood, but they did not take them when they went back home.”

    “Other graveyards are not as rich in history but make for eerie and stunning places to explore.

    “While in many cases I cannot retrace the history of the vessels, some sites are more discernible and conspicuous than others. In Sweden, for instance, I visited a car yard where vehicles had been disassembled during the 1950s.

    “Because the site stood a mere two miles (3.2 km) from the Norwegian border, the car parts were then taken piece-by-piece over into the neighboring country, where the importation of whole cars was forbidden.

    “The automobiles were reassembled — this was not prohibited. Only 30 miles from my hometown, Cologne, I discovered a special collection.

    “A car dealer had a funny idea. When he turned 50 in 2000 he arranged 50 cars from 1950 as a sculpture park in his garden and has a big party.

    “Some friends got really angry when they saw, for instance, an extraordinary Jaguar XK120 left alone on purpose. In restored condition this car could fetch US$121,000.”(SD-Agencies)