ALVIN STARDUST - STARDUST LOCKS HIS $1.8 MILLION GUITAR AWAY

British rocker ALVIN STARDUST has been forced to place his favourite guitar in a bank vault because it's worth an estimated $1.8 million (GBP1 million).

The 1970s hitmaker - famous for his gloved, all-black look - paid just $1.80 (GBP1) for the acoustic guitar in 1953 when he was 12. But he has spent decades getting the greats of rock 'n' roll to sign it.

The rocker's battered guitar features the signatures of BUDDY HOLLY, CHUCK BERRY, BILL HALEY, EDDIE COCHRAN and THE BEATLES, among others, and it has been valued at $1.8 million.

But Stardust, real name BERNARD JEWRY, has no plans to sell the celebrated guitar.

He says, "It's nothing I would ever thing about selling... My mum bought it for me."