A RARE chance to see a tunic worn by Napoleon Bonaparte is being offered by Bury's Fusilier Museum from this weekend.

Curators at the Moss Street museum have secured part of the uniform worn by Napoleon at the Battle of Marengo for an unique exhibition on the legendary leader.

The Fusiliers will host Napoleon in Exile from this Saturday, after agreeing the temporary release of the tunic with the Musée de l’Armée in Paris.

Museum curators Sarah Stevenson and Paul Dalton have also been loaned a pair of Napoleon's pistols by the Infantry and Small Arms School Museum at Warminster.

A golden eagle standard of the 82nd Line Infantry, captured by the Royal Fusiliers at the Battle of Martinique in 1809 is also on its way courtesy of the Fusilier Museum at the Tower of London.

Napoleon was exiled to St Helena in 1821 and in his later years he was attended to by Surgeon Major Archibald Arnott, of the XXth Regiment of Foot, a Fusiliers predecessor. Arnott built up a rapport with the fallen general and was with him when he died. The museum has a standing exhibit on Arnott and Napoleon which will form part of the new display, including the surgeon's own tunic.

Col Brian Gorski, museum chairman, said: “We’re delighted to able to bring a little bit of Napoleon to Bury and honoured to tell his fascinating story, especially with this year marking the 200th anniversary since his death.

"Not many people are aware that it was in fact a Fusilier who played a fundamental role in his care, especially in his final days in exile on St Helena, so it’s a great privilege to be able to share that story with our visitors both old and new."

The exhibition has been backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Napoleon's tunic will remain on display until November 5 and the pistols until early December.