The famous dress worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sung "happy birthday Mr President" to John F. Kennedy has sold for a world-record price at auction in Los Angeles.

The custom-made Jean Louis gown, which features more than 2,500 hand-stitched diamonds, was snapped up by Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum for £3.87m.

It had a pre-sale estimate of £2.42m, but went on to become the most expensive dress ever sold at auction.

Monroe also held the previous record, a white dress from The Seven Year Itch, that went for £3.7m in 2011.

Edward Meyer, vice president of Ripley's Believe It Or Not, said: We believe this is the most iconic piece of pop culture that there is.

"In the 20th century I cannot think of one single item that tells the story of the 1960s as well as this."

He said it was likely the dress would go on display at Ripley's Believe It Or Not in Hollywood, before moving to different branches around the world.

Monroe wore the dress on May 19, 1962, ahead of President Kennedy's 40th birthday.

The dress was reportedly so tight fitting that Monroe was said to have been sewn into it, prior to her singing in front of 15,000 guests at a Democratic fundraiser at New York's Madison Square Garden.

The Hollywood star was found dead less than three months later, aged 36.