A PLAQUE taken from the wreckage of the Munich air disaster in 1958 by a British aid worker is being auctioned off - sparking outrage among Manchester United fans.

The seven-inch brass plate was given to United by the Serbian club Red Star Belgrade to mark the European Cup tie the night before the fateful crash.

It was the last game the `Busby Babes' would ever play. Twenty three people died when United's charter plane crashed on a slush-covered runway at Munich.

The plaque was recovered days later by a member of an air accident team sent out to Germany to help the survivors. Now the man's son - who has remained anonymous – has decided to cash in.

The plaque is due to be sold by Staffordshire auctioneers Mullock’s next Tuesday. The guide price is just £750-£1,000.

Last night Manchester United were checking their archives for to find out what gifts were given by Red Star Belgrade.

Until we rang them, the club was unaware of the sale.

Fans groups said the plaque was ‘morally’ the property of the club and its supporters and the sale should not go ahead.

History

They said: “We hope the club will do whatever is necessary to secure this priceless piece of history for future generations of supporters.”

Colin Hendrie, of independent supporters’ group IMUSA, said the auction shouldn’t take place: “Given the tragic circumstances by which this was come by, it would be a shame if they chose to compound that tragedy by seeking to make a profit. This should be in the United museum. It is such an important piece of memorabilia.

“The year 2008 will be the 50th anniversary of Munich and thousands of fans will be going to the crash site.”

Sean Bones, of supporters’ trust MUST, said: “Whatever the legal aspects, the plaque morally belongs to Manchester United and its supporters.”

Williams Andrews, football specialist at Mullock’s, said: “The vendor’s father was an employee of the British Air Accident Repatriation Team which flew out to every air disaster where British people abroad were involved.

“In 1958 he flew out to Munich and it was during a final check of the site days after the crash this plaque was recovered from the wreckage.”

He believed the man simply put the plaque in a bag and took it away. He said ownership was a ‘grey area’ but that no rival claim had ever come forward.

The Department of Transport said any ownership dispute was a matter for German law.

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