A vial containing a sample of Winston's Churchill's blood has been removed from sale to respect the wishes of his family, the Independent reports.

Winston Churchill broke his hip in 1962

The lot was due to auction at Duke's in Dorchester, UK today with a ?�300-600 ($463-926) estimate. The blood was taken while Churchill was undergoing tests in hospital in 1962, after breaking his hip.

Timothy Medhurst of Duke's commented prior to the sale: "It is impossible to put an accurate estimate on this unique piece of history.

"At the time this blood was taken Churchill had already experienced a catalogue of injuries. So to have another devastating injury occur at such an old age was a threat to his stalwart 'British Bulldog' image.

"It is probably the first time that such a personal piece of Churchill's history has been offered on the open market."

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