Rare Beatles record that sat in attic for 50 years up for sale

PanARMENIAN.Net - A spectacularly rare Beatles record that lay forgotten in a loft for half a century is set to go on sale, Mashable reveals.

A 10-inch recording of "Till There Was You" and "Hello Little Girl" dating back to 1962 has been languishing in an attic at the home of Les Maguire, keyboardist for Liverpudlian beat group Gerry and the Pacemakers, for years.

The disc, which has been described as a "Holy Grail item" by Ian Shirley, editor of Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide, is going under the hammer in March.

The 78 RPM record bears the handwriting of the band's manager Brian Epstein and is thought to fetch at least £10,000 ($14,000) and possibly much more. It was made at the HMV shop in London's Oxford Street and presented to future producer George Martin at EMI in an effort to bag a record deal.

Within months the band had signed to EMI and recorded the tracks for Please Please Me and Beatlemania was imminent.

Maguire, who was given the record by Epstein in 1963, said it could arguably be seen as the one "that sparked The Beatles' success." He's given it to his granddaughter to help her buy a house after passing her accountancy exams.

"Till There Was You" is a cover of the Meredith Willson track of the same name that was written for the 1957 musical play The Music Man. It features on both UK album With The Beatles in 1963 and the U.S. release, Meet The Beatles! in 1964.

"Hello Little Girl," meanwhile, is believed to be the first song written by John Lennon. Both tracks were performed at the band's failed Decca audition in 1962.

Omega Auctions in Warrington are looking after the sale, which will take place on March 22 and will be broadcast online so bids can be made worldwide.