An avid Beatles fan is set to part with 15,000 pieces of band memorabilia in an effort to secure cash for his impending retirement.

Jacques Volcouve will put the items up for auction at the Drouot in Paris in March. Among the lots will be signed books, records, autographs and figurines.

The collector told the Observer that he developed a fascination with with the Liverpudlians after listening to them for the first time, before becoming something of an expert on the group. He said:

"The Beatlemania bug bit me and I was never cured of it. I listened to the album and I thought the music was incredible. From then on, I wanted everything to do with the Beatles: records; newspaper clips, posters, memorabilia...everything."

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