Four tonnes of Nazi gold have been found in the grounds of an abandoned palace in southern Poland, say WWII treasure hunters.

The group calling itself the Silesian Bridge Foundation said it had it found a buried canister using geo-radar after pinpointing the location with the help of an old SS diary.

Measuring between 1.3 to 1.5 metres long and 50cm in diameter, the cylindrical metal canister was uncovered in the conservatory of an 18th century palace used by Hitler’s SS as a brothel.