The Hidden Heritage of Tipu Sultan worth millions..........

   Family find treasure looted from India in their attic- and it's worth millions.

The artifact were taken by their ancestor, a British army officer from the palace of Tipu Sultan in the wake of the famous Indian freedom fighter's  defeat to the Duke of wellington in 1799.

The cache of Indian arms is believed to include the very gun the 'Tiger of Mysore' used in his last stand against the British.

It has a tiger pattern unique to Tipu and there is also damage caused by a musket ball that is believed to have killed him.

They also discovered a gold-encrusted firangi sword that bears the mark of Haider Ali Khan. Tipu's father and the previous ruler of Mysore.

The weapons were bought back to Britain by Major Thomas Hart of the British East India Company following the Fourth Anglo-Mysore war.

They were passed down through his family and now belong to a couple who have kept them wrapped in newspaper in the dusty attic of their semi-detach home in Berkshire for years.

The items are expected to fetch millions of pounds at auction.

In 2016 a sale of other items that belonged to Tipu were sold for £6 million.

Auctioneer Anthony Cribb said this latest collection is said to be more significant.

He said 'It is impossible to put a price in these items but ni would say this collection is more important than the previous one that sold.

'That one was put together over 40 years and came from lists of different places.

'But these weapons were picked up at the battlement by military officer who was there and have been in the same family for 220 years.

'When I first saw the gun I nearly fainted. It is a once in a lifetime find.

'The owner are just ordinary family who live in  a Victorian semi-detached house.

The British waged war against the ruler of Mysore Tipu Sultan after a spy intercepted a latter from French dictator Napoleon proposing an alliance with him against the British.

Arthur Wellesley, who later became the Duke of Wellington, led the British army into his stronghold of Seringapatam, the capital of Mysore.

The British solders breached the walls of its fortress and Tipu fired long arm muskets at them handed to him by his servants.

He was killed when a musket ball defeated off his gun and struck him above the right eye.

In the wake of victory, British soldiers pillaged the city and Tipu's palace,treasury and armory, helping themselves to the wealthy sultan's bejeweled possessions and impressive arms.

In the following weeks several auctions were held where soldiers were able to get their hands on gold, jeweler, arms and armor, clothing and even Tipu's grand throne plundered from the palace.

"The family is not motivated by money and sincerely hopes these items find their way back to India".