The bun, made the same year Napoleon died, George IV was crowned king and poet John Keats passed away, has been in her family for generations. "It's a relic which has been passed down through the family. My mum said our ancestors worked in a baker's shop and they believed buns baked on Good Friday didn't go mouldy," said Mrs Titman.

"It is rock hard and the currants have disintegrated but you can tell it's a hot cross bun and you can still see the shape of the cross." The bun, which has the date March 1821 on its base, was made by Nancy's great, great, great grandfather, William Skinner, who owned a bakery in London.

His son was helping in the shop that Easter and made the fruity bun as a present for his mum, but she never ate the gift and instead kept it in a box.

Fat chance of any sort of bun lasting that long in our house!

Mouldy? Nah... it's Stilton flavoured...

The original was here