BBC Antiques Roadshow expert sparks gasps over huge value on item 'usually faked across the world'

Smith began by explaining how he often speaks to people wanting his expertise who say their relative was in the SAS, only for this to turn out not to be true.

He made clear the collection of items in front of him was far more promising as he explained: "You said to me this morning, 'my dad was a soldier,' and then you started to get this stuff out and I got so excited because this man was in the SAS."

He went on to ask: "This is fantastic, so who is this gentleman in the photograph?"

"My father, David Cargill," the guest replied, adding: "And this photograph shows him just before he was mobilised and sent to France with the BEF."

"Now, he's in the territorial Army because we have a territorial medal here," Smith noted.

Keen to find out more, he probed: "He went to France and he starts off his war by coming off a beach somewhere called Dunkirk, because there's the Dunkirk medal as well. What did he join then?"

"He joined the parachute regiment," the guest explained before continuing: "Once he got his wings he immediately volunteered for SAS and was accepted."

"That’s no mean feat," an impressed Smith responded, adding: "The SAS at that time is a very new organisation. It comes from the long range desert group which was out in the desert with Colonel Sterling and it turns into this incredibly formidable unit."

Smith went on: "You have his certificate of service, signed by no lesser person than Paddy Mayne, who was the commanding officer of the SAS at that time - and a name which people who know about World War Two will be so familiar with. But there it is, signed by the man himself."

He continued by asking the guest about a piece of parachute which was among the items in the collection.

"He brought home a whole parachute, this is all that remains of it because the remainder served the family, because mum made pyjamas for everyone - I still have a pair!" he laughed.

Turning his attention to the badges and medals, Smith added: "Now, when you see these badges and things that you have here and you see SAS wings, usually they are fake.

"You have a king's crown parachute regiment badge, even they today are hard to find and usually they are copied as well.

"You then have two of the shoulder titles for the first SAS. Now I'm not certain that I've ever seen those before in the flesh to actually touch them, but there they are."

He enthused: "You have his beret. You see even that little badge is faked all across the world really, but there again, there is a real one."

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Huw Edwards submits 'exceptional character' defence despite pleading guilty to making indecent images of children
• BBC's Gabby Logan wades into Clare Balding debate as Olympics presenter sparks 'classism' row
• Amanda Abbington's fiance 'forever grateful' as he marks sweet milestone with BBC Strictly star amid saga

They also talked about a photo which depicted the guest's father driving as SAS jeep, with Smith detailing: "Really it's not often you get a photograph of someone actually in action.

"These just don’t come on the market so to actually be able to stand here and touch the real thing... It’s fantastic."

Getting round to the valuation of the collection, Smith admitted: "At this point if I was just valuing the medals for you and we had nothing else on the table I would say to you these medals are worth £200.

"But I think you're actually looking at somewhere close to £8,000." His estimation was met with gasps from the crowd and the guest himself.

Stunned, the owner of the items replied: "Right... My father would be very surprised."