A piece of stage set signed by the Beatles following their first Tv performance in America is set to go under the hammer.

The Fab Four made their U.S. small screen debut on The Ed Sullivan Show on 9 February, 1964 and the moment has been marked by a slew of 50th anniversary celebrations this year (14).

It has now emerged that a piece of stage backdrop the musicians signed at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York is to be auctioned off.

The large section of plastic wall also features caricatures drawn by the stars and is expected to fetch more than $800,000 (£500,000) when it goes under the hammer in the Big Apple on 26 April (14) through Heritage Auctions.