A victims’ support group has raised concerns over the sale of a gun belonging to the notorious Kray twins, saying it could reopen “emotional wounds”.

An auction of personal items belonging to the brothers, who had a mafia grip over the East End in 1950s and 1960s, took place this week at Chiswick Auctions, following an earlier sale in January that raised more than £100,000.

Items snapped up by bidders at the sale on Monday included a pair of red leather boxing gloves, which belonged to Reggie Kray, signed with the word Goombah, a mafia term meaning “two people are one”.

However, among the more sinister items was Ronnie Kray’s Brevet revolver, which sold for £3,000.

National charity Victim Support, which offers support to those affected by crime, yesterday condemned the sale of items saying many of the Krays’ victims were still living with the memories of what happened to them.

A spokesman said: “We generally take a dim view of people profiteering from crime in any way because of the risk of offending victims.

“We recognise that the further in the past the crime is, the less likely there are to be any surviving victims and the greater the potential historical interest.

“But crimes committed by the Krays are still recent enough that victims, their friends and families are still surviving and living with their memories of the crimes.

“There is therefore a serious risk here that people who were traumatised by the Krays or their actions will be offended or have old emotional wounds reopened by the auctioning of their personal items.”

However, a spokesman for Chiswick Auctions said the auction house had dealt with the sale in a responsible and respectful manner.

He said: “The trade we work in from day to day is antiques and history – they come hand in hand for use. These items are a part of British history. There is no glamourising of this on our part.”

Other items in the sale included the original receipt for catering at Ronnie and Kate Kray’s wedding in November 1989, in which £87.40 was spent on balloons and a number of pieces of artwork painted by Reggie Kray while in prison.

Kate Kray’s diamond engagement ring-engraved with the words “Marry Me, Ron Kray” went to the highest bidder for £2,900 while a Cartier diamond cluster ring given to Kate on her and Ronnie’s wedding day raised £2,800.