Cigars, a cigar case and a top hat once belonging to Sir Winston Churchill have been found on a rubbish tip.

The items were authenticated by an expert on Antiques Roadshow, the long-running BBC programme, after they were brought along by a member of the public who worked at the dump.

David Rose, who claimed to have three sheds of salvaged antiques and other artefacts, said: “I’ve worked there for like 15 years and I get to pull out whatever I like, mostly antiques.”

Mr Rose refused to tell the programme-makers the location of the dump where he found the Churchill memorabilia, preferring to keep the secret to himself.

In the episode staged at Eltham Palace in south east London and broadcast on Sunday night, Mr Rose explained how he discovered the cigar and hat along with more than 200 letters written by a mother, who worked as a cook for Winston Churchill, to her son.

In the letters, she gave a detailed insight into Churchill’s everyday life. “She used to write to her son every day about the daily goings of Winston Churchill, what he was getting up to, how he was feeling and just interesting stuff about him,” said Mr Rose.