Townshend kicks off net auction

Going for a song: Pete Townshend's guitars

Rock superstar Pete Townshend has begun auctioning off a collection of guitars and memorabilia on the internet to help flood and drought victims in Africa.

Among the items donated by the Who legend is a 1957 Fender Stratocaster given to him by Eric Clapton.

That guitar alone is expected to raise tens of thousands of pounds for Oxfam's emergency programme in Mozambique and Ethiopia.

Bids are being taken on the site until 1800 BST on 17 May.

Despair: Townshend auction will help flood victims in Mozambique

Other instruments up for grabs include a classical Spanish guitar which Townshend used to compose Behind Blue Eyes. He also taught his daughter Minta to play on it.

Townshend said: "I have gathered together a number of items I regard as precious. I will miss them when they're gone and I sincerely hope they mean as much, or more, to you as they have to me while I've been custodian."

There are also letters from Sir Paul McCartney, Keith Richards and Clapton, a white jacket he wore at Woodstock 98 and 24 gold and platinum discs.

Speaking about the Clapton guitar, he said: "Eric gave me this guitar as a gift for helping him do his own charity concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London in 1973."

He explained it was "an instrument made up of various parts left over from the famous Blackie, which he put together and apparently is still his favourite guitar".

Slowhand: One of Eric Clapton's guitars is up for grabs

Last year, Clapton sold more than 100 guitars of his own to raise money for a substance abuse centre he has set up in the Caribbean. The guitar he used to record the rock anthem Layla fetched a record £313,000.

Projects

Townshend is currently involved in several projects. Last year, a 30-year dream was realised when his play Lifehouse was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and The Who recently announced details of a US tour.

He is also working with other members of The Who on a film about former member Keith Moon, who tragically died in 1978.

Simon Collings, head of appeals at Oxfam, said: "This is an incredibly generous gesture by Pete Townshend and we hope the public will be equally generous in bidding to raise as much money as possible to help the people in desperate need in Mozambique and Ethiopia."

The people of Mozambique are still coming to terms with the aftermath of the devastating floods earlier this year and millions more are threatened by droughts and food shortages in Ethiopia.