Jack Nicholson's foam axe prop used in The Shining up for sale for £45,000

A fake axe used by Jack Nicholson in cult-horror film The Shining has been put up for sale.

The 35-inch prop, which is made of hard foam for safety and ease, was one of several wielded by Nicholson as he roamed the halls of the creepy Overlook Hotel while on his way to smash through the doors of his family's room.

However, a real axe was used in the iconic "Here's Johnny!" scene, to allow Nicholson to break down the door.

Producers Warner Bros made a number of the axes for the 1980 Stanley Kubrick-directed film - but only a handful remain, with the auction house saying it only knows of four others.

The axe in question, which is being sold by Paul Fraser Collectibles in Bristol, has a slight bit of wear and tear on it, including paint loss on the handle and wrinkling of the silver tape used on the head of the prop - no doubt a bonus to collectors.

It is priced at £45,000 and will be sold in a glass display case, which will resist damage from UV rays, as well a signed photo of Jack Nicholson and a plaque.

In message to collectors, Paul Fraser said he thinks he has "underpriced it", adding: "Quite simply, you are in an incredibly rare position.

"To reach into the cinema screen, and grab a piece of film folklore. To own arguably the most iconic prop in cinema."

The only existing wooden axe sold for £170,000 in 2019 - but collectors do not know if it is the one that was used to break down the door.