Manchester United: Duncan Edwards' items sell for more than £40k

Duncan Edwards was just 21 when he died in the Munich air disaster in 1958

Letters, photos and a bag belonging to a Manchester United star killed in the Munich air disaster have sold for more than £40,000.

Duncan Edwards and 22 others were fatally injured when the plane carrying the United team crashed as it took off from the German city in February 1958.

His fiancée Molly Leech was at his bedside when he died and never parted with his belongings.

Her daughters have put them up for sale following her death.

The collection included Edwards' overnight bag which was pulled from the wreckage of the disaster, football programmes, letters to his fiancee and letters from well-wishers and photographs.

The overnight bag Edwards used, which was pulled from the wreckage of the disaster, was sold

Edwards' family album with photos of his Manchester United and England football career, such as portraits, match shots, moments with his teammates, as well as some from his national service, were bought by a UK-based private collector for £12,400.

A get well card from Manchester United teammate Bobby Charlton to Molly sold for £10,540 and Edwards' overnight bag fetched £6,820.

A group of personal items and memorabilia linked to Molly's travel to Munich after the crash was bought by a collector for £5,456.

Religious medals sent to Molly by well-wishers fetched £3,224 and a life insurance policy taken out by Edwards less than three months before his death sold for £2,728.

Edwards, who was born in Dudley in the West Midlands, already had 18 caps for England and was tipped as a future captain when he died at the age of 21.

He was part of a United team nicknamed the Busby Babes, a title that honoured both their youthful achievements and their legendary manager, Sir Matt Busby.

The Munich air disaster

• The crash, on 6 February 1958, happened as a plane tried to take off after refuelling in Germany as United returned from a European Cup tie in Belgrade

• Eight players, three club staff, eight journalists, two crew members and two passengers were killed

• Club legend Sir Bobby Charlton, who was 20 at the time, suffered head injuries, while manager Sir Matt Busby was left in a critical condition and had the last rites given to him

• The plane's co-pilot Ken Rayment was the final victim, dying 23 days after the crash