McCartney Times

A one-of-a-kind guitar worth £20,000 that was stolen over ten years ago has been recovered after appearing on eBay. The Fender Stratocaster – which has been signed by rock legends including Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend – disappeared while on its way back to owner Dave Allen after being sent to Mark Knopfler. Mr Allen, a music promoter from Leicestershire, never expected to see the precious guitar again – so when his friend told him he’d seen it online, he was ‘ecstatic’. Mr Allen, a music promoter from Leicestershire, never expected to see the precious guitar again – so when his friend told him he’d seen it online, he was ‘ecstatic’+1Mr Allen, a music promoter from Leicestershire, never expected to see the precious guitar again – so when his friend told him he’d seen it online, he was ‘ecstatic’He quickly told police he’d seen the instrument – which he was intending to sell at auction to raise cash for a hospice – and was soon reunited with it.A house-clearance firm had innocently bought the guitar for £35, and had plans to sell it for just a few hundred pounds.Speaking to the Harborough Mail, Mr Allen said: ‘I was gutted when the guitar was lost – I’d spent a year collecting the signatures. On this occasion in 2007 I’d sent it by courier to Mark Knopfler – the first time I’d not had someone accompany it – and it was “lost in the post” shall we say. ‘I couldn’t believe it when it turned up two weeks ago.’ Mr Allen now intends to sell the guitar in December after trying to persuade Keith Richards and Paul McCartney to sign it.He said: ‘Until then I’m not going to let the guitar out of my hands – and will take it personally wherever it needs to be!’

Source: Man is reunited with his stolen £20k guitar | Daily Mail Online