A former British prisoner of war in Auschwitz has described how he received a cherished oil painting of his sweetheart, painted from a black and white photograph by a Jewish prisoner in the camp.

Welsh-born Bryn Roberts, now 92, who lives in Lyme Regis, was a labourer in Auschwitz when he received a picture postcard of his girlfriend Peggy Gullup through the Red Cross.

In the sea of blue and white magen Davids, navy jackets and wooden placards on the road between Auschwitz and Birkenau, a single Union Jack was held aloft.

It belonged to the first full British delegation to March of the Living - 80 students, young professionals and adults who were nearing the end of a six-day journey across Poland.

A senior British Muslim leader has called on Muslims to support Jews in the fight against prejudice while on a multifaith visit to Auschwitz.

More than 150 Christian, Muslim and Jewish dignitaries from around the world, including Jordan, Turkey and Iraq went on the visit, organised to follow last week’s international Holocaust Memorial Day. Prayers were read in both Arabic and English.

The largest of the Nazi concentration camps, Auschwitz and its sister camp Birkenau have become bywords for the unimaginable horror and evil of the Nazi genocide.

Located in Nazi-occupied Poland, estimates put the total number murdered there at 1.1 million – a tragic majority of the 1.3 million Jews and non-Jews the Nazis deported there and sent through the infamous gates adorned with the phrase "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work Sets You Free).

Auschwitz has experienced the highest number of visitors since the former concentration camp was opened up to the public more than 60 years ago.

Some 1.38 million people toured the museum in 2010, eclipsing the previous year’s attendance of 1.3 million.

Outside of Polish groups, the majority of visitors were British, followed by high numbers from Italy and France. Around 850,000 were students.

A Swedish man has been jailed for more than two years for plotting the theft of the "Arbeit macht frei" sign at Auschwitz.

Former neo-Nazi leader Anders Hoegstroem, 34, admitted his role in the theft and agreed a plea bargain with the Krakow court last month.

He will be moved to Sweden to serve his sentence of two years and eight months.

The infamous sign was recovered last December, three days after it was stolen. It had been broken into three separate pieces.

The judge also jailed two Polish men, each for up to two-and-a-half years, for their roles in the crime.

A Swedish man with alleged neo-Nazi ties has been charged with stealing the ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ sign from Auschwitz.

Anders Hogstrom was extradited to Poland in April. He has been charged alongside two Poles, who have been identified as Andrzej S. and Marcin A.

Prosecutors in Krakow said all three men had already confessed and agreed to serve sentences of around two-and-a-half years. If the court accepts their plea bargins, they could be sentenced immediately without trial.

Hogstrom is expected to serve in a Swedish jail if convicted.