WINE hidden from the Nazis during the Occupation is expected to fetch thousands of pounds.

Bucktrout secreted away several bottles of wine while the island was occupied. They are now up for auction at Bonhams in London and are expected to reach nearly £7,000.

Tony England (pictured), who managed Bucktrout’s Waterloo House shop – now Sure – said the wines had been bought in France. If they were of particularly good quality, the firm would buy a large batch.

‘They had these gorgeous wines that they bought,’ he said.

‘There were always a few left over, which they kept for comparison.

‘During the Occupation, all these tasty wines were in the cellar. They were valuable wines and they didn’t want the Germans to get their hands on them.

‘They were put in the back of a store room, which had rubbish put in front of it. When the Germans asked what it was, they were told it was a rubbish store.’

After the war, the wines were put on display in the directors’ cellar.

When the Liberation Group bought Bucktrout and moved it to a new building, there was no proper way of displaying the wines so it was decided to put them up for auction.

Included in the lots are five bottles of Chateau Latour 1926, expected to reach between £1,500 and £2,000.

Two dozen bottles of Chateau Ausone 1928 could reach up to £3,000.

It is estimated the oldest of the collection, a Harvey’s 1897 Special Quality Port, will go for between £100 and £150.

The wines are due to be sold on 17 March.