A POSTER advertising an appearance by The Beatles at Abergavenny Town Hall in 1963, which was the property of actor Peter Wyngarde, has been sold at auction for £2,200.

The poster, which advertises the performance by the Fab Four on Saturday, June 22, 1963 - just as Beatlemania was about to kick off - was the highest valued item at what was East Bristol Auction’s first virtual sale day.

While Peter Wyngarde, who died in 2018, wasn’t thought to be at the event, he was an acquaintance of the band.

On the night at Abergavenny Town Hall, John, Paul, George and Ringo took to the stage at 10.30pm, where just 600 fans saw them perform, each of whom paid 12/6d for a ticket.

After the concert, all four members signed autographs which were sold to fans for three pence each, and the money was donated to charity.

It was The Beatles’ only concert in Abergavenny, and afterwards they stayed at the Angel Hotel.

Their third single on Parlophone, From Me To You, had only just ended a seven week reign at number one – international stardom was around the corner, but rumbles of Beatlemania were beginning to surface as the Fab Four visited the town.

The Abergavenny date had been booked many months before and had clashed with John Lennon’s appearance on the BBC’s Juke Box Jury, meaning John and Beatles manager Brian Epstein would have to arrive at the venue minutes before they were due on stage, via helicopter.

Auctioneer at East Bristol Auctions, Andrew Stowe, explained why the poster was so highly valued, and said that the final figure was a bargain.

“It should be going for at least four thousand pounds,” said Mr Stowe. “It is a mega-rare thing to see an original poster like that from one of the best bands of all time.

“Especially given that it was at such a small local venue.”

Mr Wyngarde, who was best known for his role as the author and sleuth Jason King in Department S, died in 2018.

He appeared in many films and TV programmes, including The Saint, The Avengers and Flash Gordon, but his career dwindled when he was outed as gay in 1975 after a charge of gross indecency.

Derek Lyons, who was also in Flash Gordon and met Mr Wyngarde on several occasions, said: “I’d imagine life was tough for him at times, but he was always very pleasant to me, and he was a great actor.”