The King James Bible is widely regarded as one of the most celebrated English achievements. But one academic has unearthed evidence that its English translators had a significant amount of help - from a Frenchman.

Research by Dr Nicholas Hardy at the University of Birmingham has found that Isaac Casaubon, an eminent French scholar, helped translate the Bible into English.

It is the first time a non-English speaker has been found to have worked on the famous work.

The King James Bible, published in 1611, was worked on by forty translators, who were divided into "companies" working on separate sections of the book.

Letters unearthed by Dr Hardy show that English translator John Bois exchanged letters with French scholar Casaubon, who was visiting London towards the end of 1610.

Casaubon was at the time regarded as the most accomplished scholar of ancient languages, such as Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic, in the world, and is thought to have been brought in to help verify the work of less accomplished English translators.