A guest on Antiques Roadshow gasped as she learned the true value of an ‘incredible’ statue which was found while looking in a cupboard for a packet of biscuits.

Monday night’s instalment of the show, presented at Thirlestane Castle in the borders of Scotland, saw one woman hand over the small statue, which left the expert astonished.

‘My boss was looking for a packet of biscuits in the cupboard and we came across him,’ she said as she handed over the little bronze man.

As he examined the statue, the expert said: ‘Wow, what a lovely thing. The level of detail is incredible.’

He turned it upside down to discover the craftsman behind it and realised that what he was holding was rather special.

He said: ‘It’s by Hamo Thorneycroft. He is a big name in English sculpture.’

A guest on Antiques Roadshow gasped as she learnt the true value of the ‘incredible’ statue which was found while looking in a cupboard for a packet of biscuits

As he examined the statue, the expert said: ‘Wow, what a lovely thing. The level of detail is incredible.’

He turned it upside down to discover the craftsman behind it was Hamo Thorneycroft, a big name in English sculpture

‘So much of late 19th century sculpture was churned out of Paris. I imagine the outskirts of Paris were just one foundry house after another. 

‘Thorneycroft is one of the people who really bucked the trend and is a very, very respected and known name.’

When the expert asked her what caught her eye about the piece in the first place, she said: ‘The detail of his uniform is just incredible.’

Delivering his estimated valuation price, he said: ‘I think that at auction this is probably £1500 to £2500.’

Clearly taken back by the sum, the woman became overcome with the giggles and gasped: ‘Oh dear!’

Hamo Thornycroft was one of the leading exponents of the New Sculpture, a movement in British sculpture reacting against the neo-classicism of mid-Victorian sculpture.

In his later years, the sculptor established himself at the forefront of late Victorian portrait statuary, receiving important public commissions including statues of Oliver Cromwell and Alfred the Great.

Antiques Roadshow is available to stream exclusively on BBC iPlayer.