Churchill's false teeth to go under the hammer

Winston Churchill used false teeth for most of his life

False teeth worn by former prime minister Winston Churchill are to be sold at auction.

The upper dentures were used by the leader during many of his most famous speeches, including the We Shall Fight on the Beaches address.

They were made for Sir Winston to protect his natural lisp, and it is said he always carried two pairs at a time.

The false teeth will go under the hammer at The Cotswold Auction Company in Cheltenham with a guide price of £8,000 in February.

An initial estimate of £8,000 has been placed on the teeth by auctioneers

The gold-mounted dentures were designed by Sir Winston's dentist Sir Wilfred Fish, and made by technician Derek Cudlipp.

The prime minister suffered from dental problems for the majority of his life, losing a number of teeth in his 20s.

"This set of dentures would have been made around the start of World War Two when Churchill was 65," the listing said.

The auction house believes up to four sets of teeth will have been made for Sir Winston, with at least one buried with him.

The microphone used by Winston Churchill to announce VE Day is also up for grabs

Director of the auction house Liz Poole said: "Churchill's false teeth must be among the most unusual items we have ever sold.”

Other lots up for auction include the microphone Sir Winston used to announce the end of World War Two and the Battle of Britain Book of Heroes from the conflict, which has signatures of more than 100 Royal Air Force pilots.

Ms Poole added these items offered people the chance "to get their hands on a genuine piece of history".

The auction is scheduled for 6 February.