A pair of old Chinese porcelain vases which were lying for years on a shelf in a retired couple's home in Britain have fetched a whopping 500,000 pounds in an auction.

The 10 inch tall vases were a wedding gift for the couple who tied the knot in 1965.

Antique expert Guy Schwinge, of Duke's auctioneers in Dorchester, visited the unnamed couple's home and spotted the multi-coloured vases.

He estimated that they would fetch 50,000 pounds. Ultimately, the vases went to a phone bidder for ten times the estimated price.

'We are delighted. We're going on holiday. This has transformed our retirement,' The Sun quoted the vase owner as saying.

The vases date from the mid-18th century and carry the seal of Qianlong, a Qing Dynasty emperor.