Churchill's cigars go under hammer at Norfolk auction

Cigars belonging to Sir Winston Churchill are among the items on sale

A cigar thought to have been discarded by Sir Winston Churchill on hearing Hitler's deputy Rudolph Hess had baled out of a plane over Scotland has gone on sale in Norfolk.

It is among a number of items under the hammer at Keys Auctions in Aylsham on Thursday.

Also on sale are a cigarbox and cigar, given by Churchill to a police officer.

The Christmas gift was given to the officer on duty at the prime minister's country home at Chartwell.

Last summer, Keys sold a partial set of Churchill's false teeth for more than £15,000.

Christmas cake

Specialist valuer Andrew Bullock said: "Yet again we have got some unusual items. People love the weird and wacky, especially if they think they might be getting something no-one else has got.

"Anything directly linked to Churchill has value."

Three personalised unsmoked cigars are also for sale with three part-smoked cigars.

"One of the unsmoked cigars has a V for Victory band, which is something I have not come across before," said Mr Bullock.

"And I am quite intrigued by a little sealed tin with a label which says it contains a piece of Churchill's 1945 Christmas cake and a piece of Clement Attlee's daughter's wedding cake," said Mr Bullock.