A collection of sporting memorabilia once owned by Nat Lofthouse is to go on display to the public.

The assortment of medals, trophies and other keepsakes bought at auction earlier this month will be unveiled at Bolton Museum on Tuesday, December 3.

The items will be displayed in the Bolton Lives gallery, and visitors will be able to see Nat’s FA Cup Winners medal from 1958, the FA Cup Final football from the same year and his English FA Cap from the famous England V Austria match of 1952 where he acquired the Lion of Vienna nickname.

Bolton Council acquired the collection for £75,427 with the help of a consortium made up of the Friends of Bolton Museum and Art Gallery, National Car Parks (NCP) and Bolton at Home.

Following the auction, the consortium was approached by Bolton Wanderers Football Club and is delighted to announce the club as its fifth member.

Bolton Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Councillor Anthony Connell, said: “We were fortunate to be able to secure some of the collection at auction and appreciated the support shown by members of the consortium.

“I was approached directly by the club and was happy to welcome their support, which can only strengthen our proud links to Nat and his sporting career. He clearly was a popular sportsman on and off the pitch, demonstrated by the thousands of visitors we had to a commemorative exhibition soon after his death in 2011.

“These 19 items are a snapshot of his success and I hope fans from far and wide will come to the museum once again to see his achievements. They are in his hometown, where they belong, and for the pleasure of the public.”

Phil Gartside, Chairman of BWFC said: “Bolton Wanderers recognises that Nat Lofthouse was as equally important to the people of Bolton, the town and the club and we were delighted to be a part of the efforts to retain his memories.

"Nat was rightfully a legend to the people of this town and it is only right that the most prized of his possessions will be remaining in his much-loved town of Bolton and be proudly displayed at Bolton Museum for all to visit and reflect on what a fantastic man he was, on and off the pitch."