Marvin Gaye manuscripts on sale

Marvin Gaye was shot by his father during an argument in 1984

Previously lost manuscripts of soul star Marvin Gaye's greatest hits are to be auctioned in London.

More than 20 songs handwritten by the Motown legend, who was killed in 1984, will go under the hammer, along with other pop memorabilia.

The manuscripts had been given to a friend and forgotten about until they recently resurfaced in London.

The auction, which includes a Madonna bustier, takes place at Leicester Square's Sound venue on Wednesday.

The sale, called It's More Than Rock 'N' Roll, has been organised by The Fame Bureau, a company which specialises in tracking down lost treasures from the world of music, film and sport.

There's bound to be a lot of interest, because so many musicians today are influence by Marvin Gaye Ted Owen, The Fame Bureau

More than 160 items will go on sale, including the original Rolling Stones "tongue" artwork, a guitar that once belonged to Jimi Hendrix and a beige mohair suit worn by John Lennon.

"Our job is to find those rare articles, those holy grails. We search for items that we believe are lost," the Fame Bureau's chief investigator Ted Owen told the BBC News website.

Mr Owen tracked down the Marvin Gaye manuscripts after a meeting with the singer's former manager, Gloria Byart.

He said the manuscripts contained lyrics, as well as written music for a variety of instruments, including horns and guitars, alongside the vocal track.

"There's bound to be a lot of interest, because so many musicians today are influenced by Marvin Gaye, from Mick Hucknall, to Sharleen Spiteri, to a host of West Coast hip-hop stars."