A auctioneer will be putting a very valuable piece of Beatles memorabilia from Great Yarmouth up for sale on Saturday.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Oliver Miller, managing director of Bishop & Miller, with the signed band card. Picture: DANIEL PAGEOliver Miller, managing director of Bishop & Miller, with the signed band card. Picture: DANIEL PAGE (Image: Archant)

Bishop & Miller has announced it will welcome bids for a band card autographed by the legendary foursome when they were in Yarmouth in 1963 on tour. It is worth an estimated £1,000-£1,500.

The sale will be the key highlight of Bishop & Miller’s first Toy and Memorabilia auction on March 10, which will also feature a number of other collectable items up for grabs.

The 55-year-old band card belongs to Mike Nicholson, a retired carpenter/joiner from King’s Lynn, who bagged the autographs at a Great Yarmouth gig way back in 1963.

MORE; memories of Beatles gigThe Beatles played at the ABC Cinema in Regent Road on June 23 and July 28 in 1963 as part of a national tour.

The June 23 show saw The Beatles share the bill with four other acts: The Brook Brothers, The Terry Young Combo, Erkey Grant, Tommy Wallis and Beryl and the compere was Ted Rogers.

Mr Nicholson, then a musician himself, luckily knew the stage manager at the concert who was able to meet the band backstage.

He said: “In the 1960s I was bass-guitarist in a local band called The Pagans and through our music circles we knew the stage manager, Dave, at the theatre in Great Yarmouth.

MORE; rare Beatles ticket is auctioned

“He got hold of tickets for The Beatles’ gig and whilst we were at the venue on the night of the concert he said he could get us autographs from the band.

“The only thing we had to hand were our own band cards, which are like business cards (we gave these out at our own gigs and at venues). He came back to us later on with four signatures from The Beatles and I’ve kept hold of mine ever since.”

Mr Nicholson added: “I couldn’t hear much of the Great Yarmouth gig through all the screams of the fans, something that became synonymous with The Beatles concerts.”

1963 tour also saw the The Beatles perform in the Grosvenor Room in Norwich

Oliver Miller, managing director at Stowmarket-based Bishop and Miller, said: “We’re looking forward to our first Toy and Music Sale as we have a great selection of items for many collectors out there.”