A LETTER written by a young Paul McCartney, inviting a drummer to audition for The Beatles, has sold at auction for £34,850.

The item smashed expectations at Christie’s, in London, when an anonymous telephone bidder secured the sale yesterday afternoon.

McCartney wrote to the potential band member after seeing an advert in the Liverpool Echo on August 8, 1960. It said “Drummer – Young – Free” and gave a box number to reply to.

Paul’s response, written in formal style, beginning “Dear Sir”, invited the mystery man to an audition at the Jacaranda Club.

This was just three days before the group, including John Lennon, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best, travelled to Hamburg, Germany, for a residency that would kick-start their career.

Christie’s said the letter was found at a car boot sale in Bootle earlier this year, tucked inside a book, along with a photo of a band on stage at a similar time.

The identity of the drummer remains a mystery after more than half a century, and it is not even clear if the audition actually took place.

Experts initially suggested the letter would go for between £7,000 and £9,000.

They admitted they were “surprised” by the huge amount the letter had attracted.

A PLACARD made by John Lennon when he held his infamous bed-in with Yoko Ono sold at the auction for just short of £100k. The sign, which reads Bed Peace, was bought by an anonymous telephone bidder for £97,250.