A last minute legal challenge has delayed the much-anticipated sale of the collection of the late Lord Raglan, who died in 2010.

The sale, due to be held today at Christies Auction House (Wednesday 4th April), included items such as the bridle reportedly used in the Charge of the Light Brigade and a telescope used by Lord Raglan along with his medals.

FitzRoy Somerset, Lord Raglan's great-great-grandfather, commanded British forces in the Crimean War and gave the order that resulted in the ill-fated Charge of the Light Brigade.

He did not actually join the charge, but observed it through his telescope from a nearby hill.

The notorious attack on Russian artillery led to the deaths of 272 of the 673 British soldiers involved.

Carrying the highest estimate of £250,000 to £350,000, the group of war medals includes a rare Peninsula War Gold Medal and Cross, a Waterloo Medal, a Crimea Medal, and the baton that he was awarded after the victory at Inkerman.

Another item is an Indian gold ring valued at up to £15,000 that was presented to his wife by the Duke of Wellington.

Among the Crimean artefacts are two Russian cannons, taken at Sevastopol, a Russian bugle, seized by a British drummer boy, and a bridle worn by the horse ridden by Captain Nolan on the day he delivered the fatal message that sent the Light Brigade charging into the Valley of Death.

The collection comprises more than 300 lots and was expected to raise in excess of £750,000 before the auction was postponed; Cefntilla House was on the market at a guide price of £2 million.

Ann Morse, chair of the Usk Society, told the Beacon it was "very good news that the sale of the house and artefacts have been postponed.

"If nothing else, it would give people time to come up with some other option to save the collection in its entirety.

"It would have been a great pity had the collection of Napoleonic and Crimean memorabilia been scattered to the four winds."

In the hope that a benefactor might come forward to save the day, Bettina Harden, the former chairman of the Gateway Gardens Trust, has launched a website, raglanrescue.co.uk

The website is exploring every avenue in the hope of securing at least part of the collection.

Lord Raglan is pictured above at Usk Show in a previous year.

For the full story, see this week's Beacon (4th April)