Piece of Elvis' hair up for auction

A strand of Elvis' hair collected by his personal barber is expected to fetch up to £250 at auction.

The 12 by 22 inch piece of hair is mounted in a frame alongside a photograph of The King.

It was originally acquired in September 2002 from Thomas B. Morgan Jr, who worked in the Sheriff's Office of Shelby County and Memphis, Tennessee, and knew Elvis.

Mr Morgan was given it by Homer Gill Gilleland, Elvis' personal barber for more than 20 years.

Gilleland, who travelled with the singer to shows, would dye Elvis' sandy-blond hair black, then cut his hair into a towel.

Friends of the barber said he would then bundle up the towel with hair inside and take it home putting it in a plastic bread bag, where the hair stayed until Presley died in 1977.

Shortly after, Gilleland is said to have begun selling strands of the hair in a souvenir shop across the street from Presley's Memphis home, Graceland.

An extract from a letter by Mr Morgan confirms its authenticity.

In November 2002 a wad of Elvis' hair sold for 115,000 US dollars (about £70,000) in an internet auction prompting speculation that the wad would be re-sold, strand by strand.

The strand, which comes with a certificate of authenticity, has an estimate of £150-£250.