Christian pastor discovers a giant 706-carat diamond in Sierra Leone which could be the 10th largest EVER found and worth more than £50 MILLION

Christian pastor Emmanuel Momoh found a 706-carat diamond in a mine in Kono, Sierra Leone, which could be the tenth largest ever found (pictured)

A Christian pastor working in a Sierra Leone mine has found a 706-carat diamond, which could be the tenth largest ever found.

The precious stone was found by Emmanuel Momoh, who was working in the Kono region, in the east of the country.

It will be sold in Sierra Leone in a 'transparent' bidding process to benefit the country, according to a government statement.

It read: 'A 706-carat diamond was presented to President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma yesterday evening.

'Receiving the diamond President Koroma thanked the chief and his people for not smuggling the diamond out of the country.'

Diamond expert Paul Zimnisky said it could be 'between the 10th and 15th largest gem-diamonds ever recovered' and such a find is very rare in a small mine.

The diamond was found in a smaller, or artisan, mine, which diamond expert Paul Zimnisky said rarely find gems of this size and quality