LONDON (AP):

The running shoes worn by Roger Bannister when he broke the four-minute mile have sold at auction for more than $400,000.

Christie's auction house said the lightweight leather spikes worn by Bannister when he set the milestone in 1954 went to an anonymous buyer yesterday for £266,500 (US$409,344).

The price was much higher than expected. Christie said previously the shoes were expected to fetch between £30,000 (US$47,000) and £50,000 (US$78,000).

Bannister became the first runner to break the fabled four-minute barrier when he achieved 3:59.4 seconds on May 6, 1954, at the Iffley Road Track in Oxford. He has said the shoes were his "last tangible link" to the achievement.

The shoes, made by GT Law and Son, had long, thin spikes and weighed four-and-a-half ounces (128 grams), much lighter than other shoes at the time.