The microphone used by the infamous Nazi broadcaster Lord Haw-Haw, aka William Joyce, brought £8,000 at a Marlow, UK auction yesterday.

The mic, which was used by Joyce to preach Nazi propaganda over the air waves during World War Two, had an estimate of £2,000 - and incredibly sold for three times the amount, according to local newspaper the Bucks Times.

The item was purchased by a private collector at the packed-out auction, at Bosley's Military and Medal Auctioneers in Remnantz, Marlow.

"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," said auction house owner Steven Bosley.

"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," he told the Bucks Times.

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

It was discovered in Mr Millwood's loft in his Ware, Buckinghamshire, UK, home by his daughter.

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

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

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

He was accidentally discovered by two soldiers while posing as a German civilian near Flensberg - they recognised his distinctive radio voice.

Joyce was shot and taken back to England as a prisoner. He was later found guilty of high treason and hanged on January 3, 1946 at Wandsworth Prison, London.