Reggie Kray's handwritten letters to be sold at auction

The letters were written while Kray was serving a life sentence for the 1967 murder of Jack McVitie

A collection of letters written by infamous gangster Reggie Kray while in prison will be sold at auction in Tetbury.

Kray wrote the letters at HMP Maidstone and HMP Blundeston, while serving a life sentence for the 1967 murder of Jack McVitie.

Along with his twin brother Ronnie, Kray built a crime empire in London's East End during the 1950s and 1960s.

The letters will be sold during a three-day auction from 10 February.

During his time in prison, Kray wrote several books including a 1991 autobiography titled Born Fighter

The brothers' gang engaged in an array of illegal enterprises across the East End, ranging from extortion and robbery to murder.

In 1968, Reggie was charged with murder and was convicted the following year.

He spent the majority of the rest of his days behind bars, until he was released on compassionate grounds in 2000 to spend his final weeks with his second wife Roberta Jones.

He died at a Norwich hotel from bladder cancer on 1 October 2000, at the age of 66.

Reggie Kray showed promise as a boxer growing up, but turned to a life of crime

The letters will go under the hammer at John Rolfe Auctions near Tetbury from 10-13 February.

"Reggie Kray wrote a series of letters from prison to a gentleman named Peter Gerard from his time at HMP Maidstone," auctioneer John Rolfe said.

"We have a further letter, and that's from HMP Blundeston, and a signed photograph of Reggie lifting some weights and looking quite hunky," he added.

Also in the Kray collection is a business card used by Reggie's father Charles, who was a wardrobe and jewellery dealer.