It is slightly faded since it travelled the yellow brick road, but the dress that Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz is expected to generate huge interest when it goes under the hammer this month in a sale of film memorabilia.

　　The distinctive gingham pinafore, tailored to fit the petite singer when she played Dorothy in the 1939 film, could fetch more than ￡35,000 in the sale by Bonhams auctioneers in London on April 27 which will also include rock and pop items.

　　The frock is being put up for sale by a Garland fan from Britain, who has owned it since 1989.

　　The garment was made specially for the 17-year-old Garland and carries a label with her name stitched into the inside hem, as well as a secret pocket where she could stash tissues.

　　It was one of two designed for the film. The other dress, plain blue with spots and frills, was eventually rejected and the gingham pinafore became one of the most instantly recognisable movie costumes of all time.

　　"This dress represents the quintessential magic of childhood in the most beloved film of the 20th century," said Jon Baddeley, group head of Bonhams' collectors department. "It has become a cherished memory for millions of fans worldwide and was worn by one of the most talented and respected stars in Hollywood. Film costume rarely gets better than this."

　　The Wizard of Oz, the most expensive film ever made at the time, launched Garland into stardom. The tale of a young girl and her dog Toto, whisked from Kansas into a magical realm, was a huge hit and vied with Gone With the Wind as the most spectacular film to date.