A giant sculpture of a Silence Of The Lambs-style moth is expected to fetch up to £30,000 at auction next week.

The huge death’s head hawkmoth piece – the same species featured in the hit 1991 psychological horror film – will go under the hammer alongside statues, fossils, an unusual chandelier and even rockets.

The unique moth sculpture is up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billingshurst on Wednesday.

The piece, which was made completely by hand by Alex Jones, has a wingspan of more than three metres and is constructed from oak, limewood and maple.

Speaking to The Argus, Mr Jones, 52, said: “If anything is going to grab people’s attention about how beautiful moths are, it is the king of the moths in the UK.”

He said he chose the death’s-head moth because it was a “film star” and it has a history of association with superstition.

The large British moths can measure up to five inches.

They make a loud chirp noise and the skull-shaped pattern on their thorax has led to them being linked with the supernatural and evil.

Nineteenth century entomologist Edward Newman wrote: “However, let the cause of the noise be what it may, the effect is to produce the most superstitious feelings among the uneducated, by whom it is always regarded with feelings of awe and terror.”

Also going under the hammer at the auction house in a two-day sale on Tuesday and Wednesday is a life-sized lead figure of Hygiela from Greek mythology.

The 196cm sculpture is expected to fetch up to £50,000.

More modern sculptures include Giles Penny’s Man On Bench from 2014 and bronze 2/2, which is 1.8m long and is also expected to fetch up to £50,000.

For those with a penchant for the pre-historic, Summers Place Auctions is selling fossils expected to go for thousands of pounds.

The spring sale includes a dragonfly fossil estimated to make up to £1,500 as well as rare butterfly and spider fossils each predicted to sell for up to £5,000.

For details of the auction, visit www.summersplaceauctions.com or call 01403 331331.