Police rescued a 12th-century Spanish church relief that was being sold at an auction.

The sculpture, reportedly missing for decades, was retrieved by the Guardia Civil just as it was about to be auctioned in Barcelona, Spain.

Footage shows authorities inspecting the authenticity of the Romanesque relief, examining it closely.

It was then transported back to Burgos for further study and examination.

Staff from the Museum of Burgos said that they need to confirm whether it is the same relief that once adorned the north wall of the presbytery of the Hermitage of San Pedro de Tejada.

The artwork, known as the Adoration of the Kings, was reportedly stolen from the Ermita de San Pedro de Tejada in Burgos after the church was declared a National Historical Monument in 1935.

The piece, carved in stone, was discovered in an antique auction house. It had reportedly been sold under the guise of being a relic from a private collection.

However, investigators identified it as the missing relief using historical documents from archives, including those of the Ministry of Culture and the Junta of Castilla y Leon.

The UNESCO Courier said: 'The illicit art trade threatens the integrity of cultural properties. Stolen or illegally acquired objects are often introduced directly onto the legal art market, or sold through underground markets, the darknet, and social media.'