A SMALL key for a locker on the Titanic is expected to be sold for up to £35,000 at auction.

The key was used by Sidney Sedunary, 23, from Shirley, Southampton, second third class steward on the doomed vessel.

Mr Sedunary was one of 1,500 passengers and crew who died when the passenger liner hit an iceberg in April 1912.

His body was later recovered and his possessions, including his pocket watch and keys to his cabin - number 45 on E deck - were sent to his pregnant wife, Madge.

Some items were donated to the Southampton Maritime Museum by Mr Sedunary's son Sidney but many remained in the family.

One such item was Mr Sedunary's corroded iron locker key, with a brass tag stating Locker 27 E Deck, which was recovered from his body.

It will now be sold by Titanic memorabilia specialists Henry Aldridge & Son, in Devizes, Wiltshire, on Saturday.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the "extremely rare" key should fetch between £30,000 and £35,000 in the auction.

"This very corroded iron key with brass tag Locker 27 E Deck was recovered from his body and remained in the family.

"It was acquired by the present vendor, a leading Titanic historian and author directly from Sidney's son alongside several other items and has remained in his collection since.

"They have gone on display in various Titanic conventions and events over the years."

Also being sold on Saturday is a deck plan and the only surviving menu from the Titanic's first-class restaurant, expected to fetch up to £100,000.

A letter written by the Titanic's chief engineer, Joseph Bell, describing a near-miss the ship had as it left Southampton, is estimated to be sold for between £10,000 and £15,000.