The crypt where Elvis Presley was first buried has been pulled from an auction following a backlash from fans.

The King was laid to rest in the tomb at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis alongside his mother Gladys following his death in 1977.

They were reburied at his Graceland estate two months later, and the crypt has remained empty ever since.

The macabre lot was set to go under the hammer at a memorabilia sale in Los Angeles on Sunday, but bosses of Julien's Auctions decided to pull the item on Friday after 10,000 fans signed a petition against the sale of the tomb.

A spokesperson for the auction house said it would not sell the lot until officials at the cemetery "find a plan that best suits the interests of the fans while respecting and preserving the memory of Elvis."