ROCK band Muse have donated a unique signed guitar to raise money for Teignbridge arts charity The Helen Foundation.

Up for bidding on eBay, the Manson-Cort guitar is signed by all three band members, who grew up and went to school in Teignmouth.

Frontman and lead guitarist Matt Bellamy, drummer Dom Howard and bass player Chris Wolstenholme are supporters of the charity and honorary patrons.

Bids have reached almost £4,000 on the auction site.

The one-off guitar is particularly unique as it has been signed, in permanent silver marker, by all the band and Manson has added decor reflecting the group’s world Will of the People tour which finished on October 2 with two sell-out performances at the O2 in London.

Matt Bellamy teamed up with Manson guitar works to develop the signature model, built to his own specifications.

Annie Kirk, one of the charity’s founders, said the band had again ‘surprised’ them with the donation.She described it as a ‘one-off gift of a beautiful brand new signed guitar’.

She said: ‘The resulting instrument has a big, full tone and a rock-solid feel - a superlative rock guitar.’

The Helen Foundation subsidises schools to engage professional artists to work with their children in whatever art form the school decides, benefiting over 3,000 young people a year.

And 12 individual bursaries a year also support young people of artistic talent but lacking the financial means to fulfil their artistic ambitions.

The Helen Foundation Award is given annually by many schools to the student who has shown best endeavour in the arts.