Lock of Elvis Presley hair sells for £4k

The lock of hair was collected by one of Elvis Presley's personal hairdressers, Homer Gilleland

A lock of hair from legendary singer Elvis Presley has sold for £4,000 at auction.

The hair was collected by hairdresser Homer Gilleland, who according to a letter of provenance, even cut the star's hair on tour and on film sets.

It was sold by collector Tom Unwin, 75, from Kidsgrove, in Staffordshire, who bought it 10 years ago.

Mr Unwin said he had been a "huge Elvis fan" since the age of 15 and had collected memorabilia all his life.

"I've been to his home in Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee, a few times and met members of his band and his wife Priscilla Presley, she was fantastic," he said.

The hair came with a copy of the credit card Elvis used to pay his hairdresser with

According to a letter of provenance, Mr Gilleland got to know Elvis in the early 1950s as he used to cut his mother's hair.

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The letter states: "Mr Gill cut Elvis's hair on tour, movie sets and at Graceland. When Mr Gill went to Graceland to cut Elvis's hair, he would wrap up the towel with this hair and, when he got home, he would take the hair and place it in a plastic bag.

"Over the years Mr Gill collected a sizeable amount of hair. After Elvis passed away, he would give a few strands to fans taped to a card.

"When Mr Gill couldn't work anymore, he began to sell it."

Claire Howell, music memorabilia valuer at Hansons, said Elvis's hair had proved popular with fans as "it lasts forever".

Among the other items for sale was a tennis racquet which was used by Elvis