Kate Bush Wuthering Heights guitar to be auctioned

A guitar used to play the solo from Kate Bush’s breakthrough single Wuthering Heights is to be sold at auction.

The 1974 Les Paul Custom will be sold at Gardiner Houlgate Auctions in Corsham, Wiltshire next month and is expected to attract bids of up to £10,000.

Guitarist Ian Bairnson, who played the song with his arm in a cast after breaking it, died last year aged 70 and his instruments are being auctioned off by his family.

An homage to Emily Bronte’s 1847 novel, Bush’s debut song, Wuthering Heights, exceeded all expectations when it was released in 1978, becoming the first song written and performed by a female artist.

Auctioneer Luke Hobbs said the 12 guitars, amplifiers and equipment owned by Mr Bairnson could fetch up to £30,000 in total.

Mr Hobbs added: “Ian Bairnson was a musician’s musician and the guitar he used on Wuthering Heights is very relevant to today’s market, given the enduring appeal of Kate Bush.”

Wuthering Heights was the British songwriter’s breakthrough single in 1978 and topped the charts for four weeks.

Originally a session musician, Mr Bairnson worked on albums by artists such as Joe Cocker and Mick Fleetwood and toured with Sting, Eric Clapton and Beverley Craven.

The Corsham auction will also include guitars previously owned by artists such as Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden, Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green and an acoustic used by Eric Clapton.

All will go under the hammer on Tuesday, June 11.