The famous hairpiece is one of thousands of items of memorablia – also including his hernia belt and the couch on which he died – that are up for grabs as his former house goes on the market.

Wavering Down House is Somerset is being sold for £800,000 - but it is also full of items from his long comedy career, which are on offer for an additional £600,000.

The collection includes pictures of royalty and Hollywood stars and personal documents and effects such as his false teeth and a Christmas card from the Pope.

More than 20,000 people had visited the pink four-bedroom cottage - complete with its own bomb shelter - during a series of charity open days in the 16 years since he died.

Frankie's friend, Chris Byrne, and Dennis Heymer, his former partner and manager, currently live there. Byrne said: 'It's a one-off house, with the setting and the grounds. But the archives will boggle people's minds. We've got paintings, Frank's X-rays, his school reports and his war papers. We've even got a hernia belt and the couch where he died.'

He said it was time for he and Mr Heymer, who is now in his 80s, to 'move on' from the house.