A postcard thought to be the earliest discussing the sinking of the Titanic is being sold at auction.

The card, written in Southampton, explains how the writer found out that the Titanic had “gone to the bottom”.

It was written at 5pm on April 16, 1912 just 36 hours after the Titanic had sunk, and is expected to fetch between £2,000 and £3,000 when it goes under the hammer at London-based auction house Charles Miller Ltd.

The postcard, which was sent to an address in Bedford at 7pm on the day it was written, is being sold by an unnamed English collector who said they enjoyed owning the item and wanted others to see it.

The collector said: “The sinking of the Titanic was such a significant and tragic event.

“I am hoping that the postcard will be bought by a museum or by someone who will display it to the general public, so that it can be generally appreciated, rather than housed in a private collection where few people will see it.”

Maritime specialist Charles Miller added: “It is fascinating to see this correspondence, which was sent so soon after the Titanic slipped beneath the waves.

“It is likely that the sender was involved in shipping, as it is intriguing to read that White Star Line was heavily reliant on the newspapers for their information as to what had occurred.”

The auction will take place on April 25.