Rare set of Beatles autographs sell for £3,400 at Leicestershire auction

• ITV News Central's Peter Bearne reports

It's six decades since Beatlemania first had the country in its grip, and it seems the Fab Four's appeal is as strong as ever.

A rare set of Beatles autographs has sold for £3,400 at Gildings Auctioneers in Market Harborough in Leicestershire - four times its guide price.

The owner, Margaret Coe, who lives locally, was given them by her father Harry. In 1963, he was a police officer working in Newcastle.

He was given the job of driving the Beatles back to their hotel in his police van after a gig.

He wanted to get their autographs but had nothing to write them on, so he resorted to a police charge sheet normally used for speeding offences.

The auction comes almost 60 years to the day since the Beatles first performed live in Leicester. The date was March 31 and the venue was De Montfort Hall.

At that time, the Liverpool band were virtual unknowns, and were the support act for two American singers Chris Montez and Tommy Roe, appearing bottom of the bill.

In fact, in De Montfort Hall's archives, the Beatles' name doesn't even appear in the booking for the night.

Fast forward eight months to December, and the Beatles were back at the venue, but this time as the main attraction - the band had had a string of hits that year, and Beatlemania had well and truly taken off.

The gig was a sell-out and awash with swooning, screaming teenage girls.

Sheila Chamberlain, née Angrave, from Oadby, was a 14-year-old girl at the time and was lucky enough to get a ticket.

She recalls barely being able to hear a note the band played, but says the atmosphere was still electric.

1963 was the breakthrough year for the moptops from Merseyside.

In 2023, they remain box office - certainly when it comes to collectable memorabilia. As the band sang, can't buy me love, but it seems there are still plenty who want to buy a piece of Beatles history.