Worldwide interest for Beatles single at auction

A rare early Beatles single is expected to sell for up to £9,000 at auction after it attracted interest from bidders across the globe.

The 1962 demonstration record contains the band’s hit songs Love Me Do and P.S I Love You and is one of only 250 in the world.

It is unique due to Paul McCartney’s surname being incorrectly spelt as “McArtney”, vinyl specialist Rob Smee said.

The seven-inch vinyl would go under the hammer at Stacey’s Auctioneers’ sale in Chelmsford, Essex, on Monday.

It was part of a select number of tracks pressed and distributed to TV and radio stations prior to the record’s release on 5 October 1962.

Mr Smee said the auction house had received inquiries from Beatles fans across the world ahead of the sale.

“This is an especially rare Beatles single from the very earliest days of the band’s career,” he said.

“Being one of only 250 it is of particular interest to Beatles’ collectors and the misspelling of Paul McCartney’s name is both authentic and interesting in itself.”

The vinyl was estimated to sell for between £7,000 and £9,000.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Friday that a vessel was attacked 126 nautical miles (233km) east of Aden in Yemen. It said the master reported “explosions in the vicinity of the vessel” and the crew is safe.

The Houthis pledged to continue their military operations, which they have said are in support of Palestinians and will only stop when the siege of Gaza is lifted.

The group has launched more than 60 attacks, sunk two commercial ships, seized another, and attacked dozens more since the start of the war.

In March, the Houthis killed three people after one of its antiship ballistic missiles set the Barbados-flagged True Confidence on fire.

The US and United Kingdom militaries have launched air raids across Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen to weaken the group’s military capabilities.