In a tale that could top the best of the Antiques Roadshow, a Welwyn Garden City woman found that an old family heirloom piece of pottery was worth thousands of pounds.

The woman, who prefers to remain unnamed, said her aunt had long been told it was of little value.

It had been a wedding gift to the family in 1927.

But when her aunt decided to downsize her home, the neice was tasked with the clearance, and thought she’d give Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers in Hertford a try.

Briony Harford, a valuer at Sworders, was delighted with the find.

The piece is a Victorian pottery charger and was made by the Minton’s Art Pottery Studio in 1872.

It’s signed by the sister of the studio’s director, Rebecca Coleman.

The studio only operated for four years as it burnt down in 1975.

The pottery brought to Sworders, which shows a beautiful Victorian woman with billowing curls, is said to be in very good condition, and Briony’s conservative estimate is that it will fetch between £2,000 and £3,000.

The piece will be sold on May 29 as part of Sworders’ 20th Century Design auction.