Shoe buckles worn by great British naval hero Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar have sold for thousands of pounds.

Eastern Daily Press: Admiral Lord Nelson. Picture: The Royal Navy Museum.Admiral Lord Nelson. Picture: The Royal Navy Museum. (Image: Archant)

They went under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire, on Wednesday and fetched £5,000.

Adrian Stevenson, of Hansons Auctioneers, said: 'I am not at all surprised the buckles reached their maximum potential.

'Nelson is an iconic figure and the buckles are linked to the famous Battle of Trafalgar.

'That same battle secured the British Royal Navy its greatest victory during the Napoleonic Wars thanks to Nelson's tactical genius. He was an inspirational leader who carved his name in the history books.'

Eastern Daily Press: The Fall of Nelson, Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805, Dighton, Denis, circa 1825. An impression of the mortal wounding of Nelson on the upper deck of the 'Victory'; Photo credit: © National Maritime Museum.The Fall of Nelson, Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805, Dighton, Denis, circa 1825. An impression of the mortal wounding of Nelson on the upper deck of the 'Victory'; Photo credit: © National Maritime Museum. (Image: Archant)

On October 21, 1805, Nelson, of Burnham Thorpe, aboard HMS Victory, led 27 British ships to battle in the Atlantic Ocean, just west of Cape Trafalgar, Spain. The victory confirmed Britain's naval supremacy but Nelson was shot dead by a French musketeer.