Guitar maker's David Bowie tribute to raise cancer cash
Music fan Anthony Helps has painstakingly applied six thousand crystals to create a guitar tribute to his music idol.
The 57-year-old, who has twice survived cancer, created the Ziggy Stardust ‘flash’ on the instrument after hearing of David Bowie’s death from the disease last month.
Today - on World Cancer Day - he is putting the electric guitar up for sale on auction site eBay, hoping to raise thousands for Cancer Research UK.
Anthony, who was first diagnosed with throat cancer 11 years ago, said: “I’ve had cancer and I was a big Bowie fan, so for me it’s a double-whammy.
“I’d already started making the guitar and I was waiting for inspiration when I heard about his death.
“It came to me to do the flash in red and blue, and it looks great. It’s a one-off original.”
Anthony, of Bexhill Road, Ingol, Preston, has previously made guitars for members of local bands.
He spent 300 hours making the latest instrument and hopes it raises at least £1,000.
He added: “There’s a lot of work gone into it, so I want to raise as much as I can for charity.
“There won’t be a reserve put on it, it’ll start at 99p.
“I’m hoping that a few enthusiasts worldwide will see it and want it.”