Beckham's collection was sold as part of a sporting memorabilia sale

The two letters and a drawing were penned by the England captain in 1991, when he was 16-years-old and had just signed for Manchester United.

A Manchester United FC blazer awarded to legendary player George Best in 1968 was also sold at Bonham's auction house in Chester on Monday.

Best had given the navy jacket, which sold for �13,160, to a pub landlord in Manchester.

Written to a friend called Lee, Beckham's letters revealed that his trainee wage packet was �120 - it is estimated he now earns �100,000 a week at Real Madrid - and that being a footballer made it easy to attract girls.

First wage packet

He wrote: "I've been playing in the A-team instead of the B-team, which is brilliant.

"I've been doing really well with my football as well as with girls, because we are United players they all want to go with us.

"I got my first wage packet the other day and a bonus which come to �120 so that went into the bank and I have got about �250 in there now."

The picture, which accompanied the first letter, is of a greyhound called Rosie Red at Walthamstow Stadium, where Beckham worked as a glass collector.

The collection was sold as part of a sporting memorabilia sale.

A pair of size seven Reebok football boots signed by Best - who died last November - on 31 May last year fetched �4,700.

A spokeswoman for Bonhams said all the buyers were anonymous.