John Lennon fans across the world are gearing up to get their hands on a pair of the late star's "granny" glasses.

The round rimmed spectacles - minus the lenses - have attracted bids from excited potential buyers in Russia, US, Japan and the UK.

The frames are expected to go for £1 million and the winning bid will be announced on Wednesday.

The rare memorabilia is said to be from one of The Beatles last concerts together.

Lennon gave them to his Japanese interpreter in Tokyo in 1966, and the translator took out the lenses as a mark of respect when the Beatle was shot dead outside his New York apartment on December 8, 1980.

John Warner, sales and marketing director of 991.com, which is selling the glasses, said: "It's almost impossible to put a value on them. They're such a great thing, they have such a great story and provenance. They're the rarest of the rare."

The star wore the glasses on the Beatles' tour of Japan at the end of June 1966 when the band were at the height of their fame following Lennon's infamous "bigger than Jesus" comment.