Lonsbrough was crowned Olympic champion when she captured the women’s 200 metres breaststroke title at the age of just 19 at Rome 1960, breaking the world record in the process.

She became European champion in 1962 which was the same year she won three of her five Commonwealth Games titles and was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year - the first woman to do so.

A special collection including Lonsbrough’s treasured memorabilia is now set to go under the hammer.

A "primitive" swimming costume which Lonsbrough wore at the Cardiff 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games where she claimed two gold medals forms part of the collection.

"Modern swimmers just would not believe it," said Lonsbrough to BBC.

"Grey elastic on the sides had to be used to make it tighter and the material held a ton of water in a race which really did slow you down."

Lonsbrough has also agreed to auction her very first tracksuit top which was a present from her parents as well as a blue tracksuit that she wore when took to the podium to collect her gold medal at Rome 1960 and a towelling robe.

The British Olympic team branded robe features her name which is spelled incorrectly as "A Lonsborough".

"A lot of people struggled with the name," said the 80-year-old.

"But not so much after the Olympic gold medal."

Lonsbrough lives in Wolverhampton with her husband Hugh Porter - a world cycling champion but wanted to the items to go up for auction in Yorkshire where she was based during her swimming career.

Scarborough auctioneers David Duggleby said Lonsbrough and Porter "decided that the time has come to thin out their treasures and let some of them move on into other collections".

"Other items of memorabilia in this unique collection - which is to be sold as a single lot to keep it together - include her 'lucky towel' - the charm that was taken to every event," added auctioneer Graham Paddison in a report by English newspaper The Northern Echo.

"There are also souvenir programmes for the ‘Cavalcade of Sport’ celebration that was staged in Huddersfield after her Olympic win.

"They are rare and one of them bears her autographed, signed on the night."