Hendrix memorabilia sold

Jimi Hendrix died in September 1970 aged 27

A guitar which once belonged to Jimi Hendrix has been sold for more than £60,000 at an auction of his possessions in London on Thursday.

The memorabilia sale was organised by Hendrix's girlfriend of three years - Kathy Etchingham - with some of the money raised going to a drug charity.

The stars and stripe shirt was worn on stage at the Marquee Club

A packed audience attended the auction at Bonhams and Brooks, which saw a range of items on sale from necklaces to a controversial star-spangled banner shirt which Hendrix wore in protest at America's role in the Vietnam war.

The guitar that Ms Etchingham says "lived by the bed" in Hendrix's home was sold for £62,000.

The shirt went for £18,400 while necklaces sold for between £1,207 and £1,667

The big surprise of the day was the sale of a Marshall super amplifier, estimated at £8 to £12,000 which went to an anonymous bidder for £33,350.

Drugscope intends to use the proceeds to expand Britain's biggest online library for drug advice and information.

Ms Etchingham believes more information about drugs would have saved Hendrix's life.

Etchingham "remained friends to the end" with Hendrix

Hendrix died after a drugs overdose in 1970 at the age of 27.

"The fact was he didn't know what he was taking," Etchingham told the BBC.

"Had he been informed about the effect barbiturates have when taken with alcohol he may not have taken so many."

Drugscope's Harry Shapiro - who wrote a biography of Hendrix - welcomed the decision to use one of music's heroes to highlight the dangers of drugs.

"In the rock business a lot of musicians are a blank slate, people write their psychological needs on them and some musicians feel they need to lead the rock and roll lifestyle on our behalf," he said.

Hendrix: He "lived fast and died young"

Ms Etchingham, now a mother of two, was a 20-year-old hairdresser when she met the Voodoo Chile legend in 1967.

She said: "His death was such a shock and ever since I've been completely against the use of hard drugs."

She added: "I saw Jimi just a few hours before he died and he looked fine."

Interest in the sale was marked, with punters sitting on the floor and jostling for space.

"There was only one Jimi Hendrix and his career was so short," said Alex Crum Ewing of Bonhams and Brook.

"He's touched everyone, but is difficult to collect simply because there is so little of it.

"He lived fast and tragically died young."