Paint for metal table and chairs?

[Starbuck999]

Hi all...

I've just been given a really lovely old table and chairs. It's quite ornate and made from some type of heavy metal. It's been painted white but it's all flaking off and I want to make it look respectable again.

Anyone have any idea what I need to do? Do I need to sand it down with normal sandpaper or is there something I can put on it to remove the paint?

Also, when I do re paint it does anyone know what type of paint I need to use?

Thanks in advance x

Oh, forgot to say it's a garden table and chairs if the fact that it is going outside makes any difference to the products I need.

brush off the worst with a wire brush (we used the one that we clean the bbq with) then use Hammerite metal paint. My miserly dp wouldn't pay for the sprayer thing so I had to paint (the side leg bits of a bench) with a brush but it kind of self leveled so didn't leave streaks and has been outside for three years and still looks great.