A RELIC, believed by some to be the Holy Grail, has been returned to police.

The theft of the Nanteos Cup from a house at Weston-under-Penyard, near Ross, featured on the BBC's Crimewatch and was returned on June 19.

The cup was stolen in July last year, after the supposed health-giving chalice had been loaned to an ill woman in the village. She was in hospital at the time of the burglary, which police say may have been a premeditated theft.

Following the television coverage an anonymous source is said to have come forward which resulted in it being handed over to police officers on 'neutral ground'.

The handover has been branded as 'mysterious' and 'clandestine' in newspapers and social media, and the story has sparked a considerable amount of coverage from national and international television and radio stations.

As there were no arrests made following the recovery of the relic, a £2,000 reward, that had been offered for information leading to the detention of those responsible for the theft, remains unpaid.

Although considered by some to be a vessel that Christ drank from at the Last Supper, the cup was actually recently said to be a 14th century 'mazer cup', and is named after Nanteos House in Wales where it was present for many years. It is said that Richard Wagner held the cup on a visit, and that its legend formed part of the inspiration for his 'Ring Cycle' opera.

The cup is said to have miraculous healing properties, which were bestowed when anyone drank from it. However, the vessel was diminished over the centuries by people nibbling wood from the edges of the timber, until it now measures only ten by eight centimetres.

A West Mercia Police spokesman said: "Some people may class it as the Holy Grail, but that's only speculation.

"As far as the police are concerned, this is a treasured object, and we are happy to have reunited it with its rightful owners."

They added: "We take the theft of any item very seriously."

Detective Inspector Martyn Barnes, the investigating officer on the case, said: "I would like to thank everyone who helped us with our inquiries and who shared the appeal, which significantly aided us in recovering the cup.

"Following the recovery of the cup, no arrests have been made and inquiries into the theft continue."