A melted watch frozen in time during the Hiroshima bombing has been sold for more than $31,000 (£24,000) at auction.

The wristwatch shows the exact moment the atomic bomb was detonated over the Japanese city, at 8.15am on 6 August 1945, during the final days of the Second World War, according to Boston-based auction house, RR Auction.

The brass-toned timepiece is believed to have been recovered from the ruins of the blast zone by a British soldier on a mission to provide emergency supplies and assess the damage.

It fetched a total of $31,113 (£24,550) at auction on Thursday, with a number of other historically significant items also listed.

Despite the cloudiness of the crystal, the watch’s hands remain at 8.15am, when the B-29 Enola Gay dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb.

It is an eerie reminder of the devastating destruction triggered by the first atomic bomb to be detonated over a city.

RR Auction executive vice president, Bobby Livingston, said: “It is our fervent hope that this museum-quality piece will stand as a poignant educational symbol, serving not only to remind us of the tolls of war, but also to underscore the profound destructive capabilities that humanity must strive to avoid.

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“The wristwatch, for instance, marks the exact moment in time when history changed forever.”

The winning bidder of the artefact has chosen to remain anonymous.

Also under the hammer at the auction was a signed copy of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong’s “The Little Red Book,” which sold for $250,000 (£197,000).

A cheque signed by former US president George Washington – one of just two known cheques signed as president to ever come to market – went for more than $135,000 (£107,000).

Meanwhile, Buzz Aldrin’s Apollo 11 lunar module prep checklist was bought for more than $76,500 (£60,000), the auction house said.

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Earlier this week, a collection of Anglo-Saxon pennies fetched more than £325,000 at auction.

The coins are believed to have been buried in 1066, centuries before they were discovered by two metal detectorists.

An extremely rare 1978 Star Wars Jawa figure – believed to be among just 10-15 left in the world – attracted a winning bid of £21,000 at auction in January.

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