They were painted by the hands of one of Britain's most notorious criminals and next week they will be on sale in a Lakenheath auction house.Two landscape oil paintings, both about A4 in size, were created by Ronnie Kray in 1971 during his time in Parkhurst Prison on the Isle of Wight.

They were painted by the hands of one of Britain's most notorious criminals and next week they will be on sale in a Lakenheath auction house.

Two landscape oil paintings, both about A4 in size, were created by Ronnie Kray in 1971 during his time in Parkhurst Prison on the Isle of Wight.

Ronnie and his twin brother Reggie ran an infamous gang in London's East End called The Firm during the 1950s and 1960s, and both were jailed for life for murder in 1969.

The brothers are both thought to have used their artwork to barter with in prison.

David Baggett, floor manager for Eriswell Hall Barns, said: “These are two of his earlier works. On the back they are marked with the Parkhurst stamp, his name and the date they were painted.

“We are quite excited to have them. They are quite sought after. We are estimating they will go for between £1,000 to £1,500 each.

“There has already been some interest.”

The paintings are being sold by a nephew, who wishes to remain anonymous, of somebody who was in Parkhurst Prison with Ronnie.

In July this year eight paintings by the gangland killer sold for nearly £16,500 at Manders Auctioneers in Suffolk.

Ronnie, who died in 1995 aged 61, shot George Cornell in the Blind Beggar public house in Whitechapel in 1966. A year later Reggie, who served time at Wayland Prison, stabbed Jack “The Hat” McVitie in a flat in North London. Reggie died in 2000, aged 66.

The auction is at Eriswell Hall Barns, Eriswell Road, Lakenheath, on Saturday, November 29 from noon.