British Museum to return looted Afghan artefacts found at Heathrow

Buddhist heads likely removed by Taliban will go on display before being sent to Kabul

Fourth-century Buddhist terracotta heads probably hacked off by the Taliban and found stuffed in poorly made wooden crates at Heathrow are to be returned to Afghanistan, where they will be star museum exhibits.

The British Museum on Monday gave details of one of the most significant repatriation cases it has dealt with around the illegal looting of artefacts from Afghanistan and Iraq.