Wartime legend Winston Churchill's half-smoked cigar will be sold by Derbyshire auctioneer

The cigar in a glass jar is expected to raise at least £600 when it is auctioned by Hansons on June 16.

Churchill was Prime Minister when he presented the cigar to Hugh Stonehewer-Bird, consul general in Rabat, Morocco, during the Second World War,

Hugh’s granddaughter said: “A dinner party was held in the prime minister’s honour and he gave my grandfather the half-smoked cigar at the end of the event. My grandparents were great Churchill fans. They kept the cigar on display with a photo and quirky figure of Sir Winston, which are also being sold with the item."

The jar bears an official On His Majesty’s Service handwritten label. It states: “This cigar was smoked by Winston Churchill on August 29th, 1944 at Rabat, Morocco, at a dinner party given for him by Mr and Mrs Stonehewer-Bird.”

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “The original handwritten label provides the provenance collectors like. This is an iconic piece of memorabilia connected to one of Britain’s most famous prime ministers and the Second World War.

“Churchill was renowned for his love of cigars and occasionally gave them as gifts to people who had helped him in any way. People went to great lengths to preserve them for posterity and, in this case, a glass jar has done an excellent job for 79 years.”

The legendary leader, who served as Prime Minister twice, was rarely seen without a cigar and smoked about 10 a day.