THE microphone of infamous Nazi broadcaster and traitor Lord Haw-Haw fetched £8,000 at a Marlow auction house yesterday.

The mic, the original William Joyce used to preach Nazi propaganda over the air waves during the Second World War, was valued at around £2,000 but sold for four times that amount.

More than 100 people crammed into the Bosley's Military and Medal Auctioneers in Remnantz, Marlow to witness a four-way battle for the historical metal object, which was won by a private London collector.

Auction house owner Steven Bosley said: “It was hard to put a price on it because it is a bit of a benchmark item, but everyone involved was delighted with the result.

“The buyer was one of our regular collectors, who has a massive interest in military memorabilia, and he had to fight off some stiff competition.

“I had a word with him afterwards and he felt that it was something so historic and important to him, that he had to add it to his collection.

“The sellers were of course delighted with the price but also with the stories and pictures of their father that have come out in the press recently – it's been a nice journey for them.”

The microphone was recovered by solider Cyril Millwood from Lord Haw-Haw's studio in May 1945 after the 65th anti-tank regiment stormed his radio station in Aspen, Hamburg.

The items were discovered in Mr Millwood's loft in his Ware home by his daughter.

Within the scripts was a communique from Fuhrer headquarters from April 19 1945 about a counter-assault against the Russians.

New York-born Joyce became a leading speaker for the British Union of Fascists under Sir Oswald Moseley but he was sacked for his pro-German stance as war loomed.

Joyce and his wife Margaret fled to Germany in late August 1939 where he tried to recruit British POW's into the British Free Corps. He was later awarded the War Merit Cross 1st class by Hitler.

He was discovered accidentally by two solders who recognised his distinctive voice as he posed as a German civilian near Flensberg. He was shot and taken back to England as a prisoner.

He was found guilty of high treason and hanged on January 3, 1946 at Wandsworth Prison.