Sir Winston Churchill's blood up for sale

A few precious drops of blood that were taken from Sir Winston Churchill have emerged for sale at auction.

The sample was collected in 1962 when the ‘blood, toil, tears and sweat’ orator was at The Middlesex Hospital being treated for a fractured hip.

Student nurse Patricia Fitzgibbon asked if she could keep the small glass tube that was labelled ‘Sir Winston S Churchill WWB9’ and her request was granted.

In 1962, Churchill, aged 87, was holidaying in Monte Carlo when he reportedly fell out of his bed, sustaining a fractured hip.

The blood was about to be thrown away when nurse Fitzgibbon was given permission to keep the 7cm-long tube.

The blood – taken three years before Churchill’s death – is going under the hammer with an estimate of £300-600.

Timothy Medhurst from Duke’s said: “This year marks the 50 year anniversary of Churchill’s death. The blood is a poignant reminder of an injury which marked the beginning of the end for Churchill and as such, we expect there to be great interest in it. It could sell for thousands.”