A haunted mirror believed to be possessed by the ghost of the captain of the TITANIC is set to go under the hammer for more than £10,000.

The 110-year-old mirror is believed to be possessed once a year by Edward John Smith, who left it on the dressing table of his home in Stoke-on-Trent before he set sail on the ill-fated ship's infamous maiden voyage.

A servant of the captain, Ethelwynne, was offered to take one item from his home when he went down with the ship after the vessel hit an iceberg on April 14, 1912 as a keepsake and in lieu of wages.

But the terrified maid told relatives she could still see Captain Smith's face in the silver-framed easel mirror each year on the anniversary of when the Titanic sank.

Since then, the haunted mirror was passed down by Ethelwynne's relatives and was later discovered in a deceased estate in Wolverhampton before coming into possession of current owner David Smith, who kept it in a vault for the last five years.

The letter, penned by Ethelwynne's sister-in-law Hilda and addressed to someone called Ida, chillingly reads: "She [Ethelwynne] always spooked me when she said that at times, she could still see Captain Smith's face in it on the anniversary of when the Titanic was sunk."

Auctioneer Richard Winterton said: "The last time Captain Edward John Smith saw his own noble, bearded visage before leaving home to take the helm of the Titanic was possibly in this very mirror.

"Even with one's feet firmly on land and in the sunshine of a clear afternoon, there is something otherworldly about seeing your own reflection in such an object.

"Captain Smith must have surveyed his own image in this mirror countless times and the legend that his face can still be seen in it on each anniversary of the Titanic's sinking is as compelling as it is chilling!

"Whoever buys this in December will have it in good time to test that legend for themselves on the 107th anniversary next April."

The mirror is expected to fetch more than £10,000 from collectors when it goes up for auction in Lichfield, Staffs, with Richard Winterton Auctioneers this December.

Included with the mirror is a small brown envelope containing the handwritten note and explaining the item's provenance.

A statue of Smith was unveiled in Lichfield's Beacon Park in July 1914, with the cathedral city chosen as the location due to Lichfield's status as the centre of Staffordshire's diocese.

The plaque on the memorial statue commemorates Smith's 'great heart, a brave life and a heroic death', adding in quotes "Be British" - a reference to Smith's stiff upper-lip in the face of impossible adversity and what were widely believed to be - yet unsubstantiated as - his final words.

Bargain Hunt and Dickinson's Real Deal star Richard added: "Interest in the Titanic is as strong as ever. This mirror could fetch well in excess of £10,000 at auction."

Last month, a couple was left terrified after the ghost of the captain of the Titanic photobombed them in a historic pub with connections to the doomed ship.

Cheryl, 34, and Luke Arkless, 34, hit the headlines after they visited Belfast's Robinsons pub and snapped a romantic shot together, they were horrified to spot a spooky face right behind them - which they believe bears a great resemblance to Captain Smith.