Glamorous costumes worn by the late female impersonator Danny La Rue are to be auctioned at a music hall where the star regularly performed.

Rich sequin beading, acres of lame and yards of cascading feathers are in abundance among the 90 outfits to go under the hammer at Brick Lane Music Hall in east London.

Among the treasures are pantomime costumes; outfits worn in the West End hit Hello, Dolly! sold with mounted and framed original design drawings; gowns worn for music hall and cabaret performances; and head-dresses.

Mr La Rue died peacefully in his sleep last May aged 81 after battling cancer.

His glittering career spanned some 60 years.

Mr La Rue was born Daniel Patrick Carroll in Cork, Ireland, and on the West End stage he triumphed in seven major shows including Come Spy With Me at the Whitehall Theatre, the Danny La Rue show at the Prince of Wales theatre and Aladdin at the London Palladium.

He took part in more than 50 pantomimes and was also a big hit in Australia.

Mr La Rue staged a music hall show at Brick Lane in 2007, one of his final performances.

The costumes are owned by Mr La Rue's companion Annie Galbraith.

Auction organisers said the Victoria and Albert Museum has bought four costumes in advance of the auction, two of which will go on permanent display and two will be featured in a forthcoming exhibition of pantomime costumes to be held at the Museum of Childhood.

The sale is on at midday on March 12.

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