John Lennon's guitar sells for $408,000

A guitar played by John Lennon and George Harrison of the Beatles has sold for $408,000 (£269,000) at auction.

The custom-made instrument, built in 1966 by the VOX company, was bought by an unidentified US buyer in New York.

Harrison played I Am The Walrus on the guitar in a scene from Magical Mystery Tour in 1967. Lennon used it in a video for Hello, Goodbye later that year, BBC reports.

Julien's Auctions said the guitar had exceeded its estimated value of $200,000-$300,000 (£132,000-£198,000).

After playing the guitar, Lennon gave it as a 25th birthday present to Alexis "Magic Alex" Mardas, a member of The Beatles' inner circle in the 1960s.

A plaque on the back reads: "To Magic Alex/ Alexi thank you/ for been [sic] a friend/ 2-5-1967 John."

Mardas sold the instrument in 2004.