Britain might boast some of the best museums in the world displaying priceless artefacts dating back to the dawn of time.

But it appears there may be an even richer treasure trove that will never be seen by the public, after bosses admitted they had lost thousands of items, worth at least £1 million.

While some of the artefacts are thought to simply be sitting in storage units, with curators not knowing where they are, many more are feared lost forever or even stolen.

Some of the world renowned establishments that have admitted misplacing valuable artefacts, include the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Imperial War Museum and the British Museum.

While many of the missing items may only be valuable in historical significance, the British Museum has admitted mislaying a Cartier diamond ring, which is estimated to be worth £750,000.