A cigar box once owned by the captain of the Titanic has been sold for £25,000 at an auction in Liverpool.

The walnut humidor was discovered gathering dust on a bedroom cabinet in the Merseyside home of Hilary Mee.

It was spotted by auctioneer John Crane when he was invited to value a number of antiques.

Ms Mee said she had no idea the item was connected to the ill-fated vessel, even though it had been lying around her home for 20 years.

Finest smokes

The box carries the distinctive emblem of the White Star Line shipping company and bears the initials of the master of the passenger liner, Edward John Smith, who was from Stoke-on-Trent....