AN investigation has been launched to see if a violin claimed to have been played by Colne’s Wallace Hartley as the Titanic sunk could have survived.

Wallace Hartley was the band leader on the Titanic and insisted on playing on as the ship went down 100 years ago.

New claims have surfaced that the violin he played on deck that night survived and is to be sold in an auction house in Wiltshire.

Nigel Hampson, owner of the Titanic in Lancashire Museum, Colne, is sceptical that Hartley’s violin could have survived.

He said: “There is no doubt in my mind that this violin did belong to Wallace Hartley but I would say 100 per cent that this is not the one he played that night.

“The auctioneers have not verified its authenticity. How did it survive two weeks in the sea? Why was it not included in his inventory? And why did the media of the time not pick up on this?”

Auctioneers Henry Aldridge and Sons specialise in Titanic memorabilia, and suggest one of Hartley’s distant relatives was in possession of the violin.

The instrument showed signs of water damage and bore his initials and an inscription from Maria Robinson, his fiancée.

The claim this could be the violin from the Titanic is based around a newspaper story two weeks after the sinking.

It reported Hartley’s body had been found and that a music case, containing his violin, was strapped to his chest.

The violin has now been sent for tests.

Sceptics however point out the authorities carried out a detailed inventory of the personal effects found on each body and that Hartley was recorded only to have a fountain pen, 16 shillings, a silver matchbox, a gold cigarette case and some letters.

Local historian Darran Ward, who has written a book on Hartley, said he was optimistic the violin could have belonged to Hartley.

He said: “From what I have seen the violin looks very genuine. I am keeping an open mind. I understand why people are sceptical but if this is a hoax someone has gone to a lot of trouble.”