Police attend after handgun used by Mussolini's forces in WW2 found in Leamington loft

A handgun used by the Royal Italian Army during the era of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini has been taken by firearms officers.

This morning, December 7, OPU Warwickshire reported that officers had recently been called when the handgun was been found in a loft in Leamington.

The weapon is a Beretta M1934 - a compact .380 calibre handgun which was designed for the Italian armed forces in 1934 by Beretta and manufactured until 1992.

This particular example was manufactured in 1937 and has been stamped with the Italian army acceptance mark - which means it was very likely used during the Second World War.

How the relic found its way into a loft in Leamington is not clear - although British soldiers were known to sometimes bring interesting firearms back home upon return from service in the war.

The weapon remains in good condition for its age - but handguns are strictly controlled in the UK and Government policy means it may well be destroyed.