A huge collection of 250 bayonets from conflicts across the globe is set to go under the hammer in Richmond - and is expected to fetch as much as £15k. 

The fearsome armoury of blades was amassed by Paul Hayes and his son Peter, from Eltham in southeast London.

The swords range from conflicts including both World Wars and the Boer War, whilst others were used in countries as far afield as Sudan and Argentina. 

The collection is up for sale at Hansons Auctioneers' Richmond saleroom at the end of the month.

Retired school caretaker Paul Hayes, 78, amassed his collection over the years from militaria fairs and antique shops. 

Peter Hayes with the bayonets which could fetch up to thousands of pounds in auction (credit: SWNS).

"I am really proud of dad and his bayonets, which we collected together," his son, Peter Hayes, said.

"I remember throughout my childhood going to militaria fairs and antique shops seeking out rare designs. All the dealers knew him.

"Every Christmas and birthday, he'd want another book on them. 

"His knowledge is encyclopaedic. But now that Dad is getting older, it is time to sell.

"Bayonets were his thing - mine is collecting American cars."

One of the rarest blades on sale is a German-made, Sudanese AR-10 utility bayonet, which is expected to fetch between £300 and £500 and of which only 2,500 were ever produced.

Several pike-like, British Pattern 1907 bayonets, designed for close combat in the Trenches, are also on offer. 

When fixed to the standard-issue Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, the Pattern 1907 extended the soldier's reach by a further 17in (43cm).

The swords range from conflicts including both World Wars and the Boer War (credit: SWNS).

"The silhouette of a British soldier in WWI armed with a rifle and long bayonet is iconic and used to represent the determination and grit of the British infantry," auctioneer Chris Kirkham explained. 

"This collection is remarkable. It's amazing to think about the action they would have seen and the terrible wounds they may have inflicted on the enemy.

"For any soldier, just the sight of a gleaming blade was enough to produce terror. 

"There was no weapon more visceral than the bayonet."

On the Sudanese AR-10 bayonet, Mr Kirkham added: "Extreme wear and tear in harsh desert and tropical environments and the bayonet's long period of service from 1958–1985, means this is a rare example indeed."

Another rarity is the ferocious WWI German sawback bayonet, which was modelled on Prussian hunting bayonets designed to cut through bone.

Its serrated blade was intended to cut through wood or barbed wire, but production ceased after Allied propaganda portrayed it as an example of German barbarity. 

Few weapons in history sparked similar fear amongst soldiers as the bayonet and its chilling 'cold steel'.

It is reported that some soldiers would flee at the sight of a bayonet up close (credit: SWNS).

The sight of a bayonet charge – a line of soldiers rushing with blades fixed – provoked fear that often forced even well-trained troops to break ranks and flee.

The word bayonet derives from the French town of Bayonne, where hunters inserted knives into the barrels of muskets when they ran out of ammunition.

These developed into plug bayonets, though the blade rendered the gun useless for firing, so armies began using socket bayonets that fit around the barrel.

"We are hoping this important collection will appeal to militaria experts from around the world," Mr Kirkham said. 

The collection will be sold at Hansons Auctioneers' London Saleroom in Richmond, West London, on 30 September.

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