A lock of hair from JOHN LENNON’s famous moptop-style has fetched $48,000 (£24,000) at auction - over ten times the original estimate.

The late Beatle’s hair was expected to be bought for around $6,200 (£3,100) when it went under the hammer at U.K. auction house Gorringes on Wednesday (12Dec07).

But the sale price rocketed and it was finally sold to an anonymous telephone bidder.

The hair was inside a book that Lennon gave to hairdresser Betty Glasow, which was inscribed with the message "To Betty, Lots of Love and Hair, John Lennon xx." Other lots included an autographed photograph of The Beatles dedicated to Glasow, which George Harrison signed George ‘Dandruff’ Harrison, which sold for $13,000 (£7,500).