A LETTER written by one of the East End’s notorious Kray twins is set to go under the hammer at auction later this month.

A LETTER written by one of the East End’s notorious Kray twins is set to go under the hammer at auction in September.

It forms part of a memorabilia auction held in Hampshire and will be open to bids along with three paintings.

The letter was written on prison paper by Reggie Kray - who died in jail in 2000 - and is expected to fetch around �120.

But the paintings by Ronnie, who died of a heart attack in 1995, are expected to fetch much more as collectors bid to get their hands on genuine Kray artefacts.

One of them, which shows a cottage on a hill, was painted by Ronnie during the first year of his time in Broadmoor.

It was once owned by the pair’s mother, Violet, and is expected to go for around �1000 - although experts believe it could fetch more.

A second painting of a similar scene could go for a similar amount, while a third - of two African figures - is estimated to be worth around �800.

Charles Evans, from Prospect Auction Rooms, said: “There are some very unusual pieces and we imagine there will be a great deal of interest - particularly with the Krays being in the news so much lately.

“Oil paintings appeal to lots of different people for a different number of reasons and I think they will get snapped up pretty quickly.

“I think they’ll be of particular interest to people who collect Kray memorabilia because they were created during the first ten years of the twins being put in prison.”

The brothers began painting after they were jailed in 1968 and produced hundreds of paintings during their spell inside.

Last year, a series of landscapes painted in prison art classes by the twins sold for more than �12,000.

Both twins started painting after they were caged following their 1968 murder trial at London’s Old Bailey.

Viewings for the auction take place on Thursday September 16 from 5.30pm to 7.30pm and Friday September 17 from 10am to 7.30pm.

The auction will be held at Prospect Auction Rooms, Prospect Road, New Alresford, Hampshire, at 1pm on Saturday September 18.