27-year-old packet of Polos found in box of military medals

John Junior, 35, found the mints last month while cleaning out their late grandfather Jack’s house after he died aged 96 in July 2022.

The sweets have a best-before date of November 1, 1997, but still have their distinctive aroma of peppermint and foil, John said.

John plans to either auction the Polos or be sponsored to eat them, and says the money will go to the fund for victims of the recent Southport attack or for bleed kits.

John, a mental health campaigner from Knutsford, said: "It was amazing to find them.

"The look and smell of them made me cry - they took me instantly back to sitting in my grandad's van with him.

"They're a piece of my childhood.

"It's crazy.

"When I found them it was pure nostalgia, I remembered the packaging and everything.

"They are fully wrapped up in perfect condition - like the day they were bought."

The sweets have a best-before of November 1, 1997 (Image: SWNS)

John found the Polos in their grandad's bedroom, in a box with his military medals.

They were likely purchased from his grandfather's local Co-op in Altrincham.

Jack - who worked as a plumber - used to take John out a few times a week in his van, and the pair always ate Polo mints while on the road.

Polos are still John's favourite sweets and they eat them up to three times a week, they said.

John researched online and claims the Polos - which are sugar-free - could fetch up to £36k at auction.

They'll either sell them to a collector or raise money being sponsored to eat them, they claim.

John said: "I think they are rare.

"He [Jack] always kept things in pristine condition - everything he had was all in order.

"I'm very protective of them and keep them in a safe."

The mints were found in a box with military medals (Image: SWNS)