Sinking teeth into wartime history

A VITAL weapon in Winston Churchill's fight against Nazism was sold yesterday - his dentures.

The set of false teeth worn by the wartime prime minister for his rousing speeches fetched 15,200 at auction.

Mr Churchill's dentures were so crucial to him that he ensured a spare set was to hand at all times.

A collector bid more than three times the guide price at yesterday's sale in Norfolk.

Auctioneers said the teeth were bought by an unnamed collector who already owns the microphone Mr Churchill used to announce the end of the Second World War.

"There was a tremendous amount of interest in the auction room and at least nine telephone bidders," said a spokesman for the auction at Keys' Salerooms, Aylsham. "The teeth sold very quickly."

Mr Churchill is often praised for raising Britain's wartime spirit - but his oratories may not have been so powerful without his gold-plated dentures.

The son of dental technician Derek Cudlipp, who made dentures for Mr Churchill, decided to sell part of the spare set.

Keys' valuer Andrew Bullock said: "The teeth are set in dentist's gold - but it's safe to say they won't be sold for their scrap value."

Mr Bullock said the teeth were specially constructed to disguise Mr Churchill's natural lisp.