02-24-2004 – The Mirror – Bohemian Rhubsody

QUEEN fan Tim Walker bought a guitar signed by Brian May – then accidentally rubbed out the superstar’s autograph the first time he played it.

The 45-year-old wannabe rocker couldn’t wait to have a go after shelling out £1,000 for the personalised instrument at a charity auction.

But his delight turned to horror after he plugged it in at home – and realised his playing arm had erased nearly all the signature. All that was left were the letters “Bri” where guitar legend May had scribbled his name just above the strings.

“I was gutted,” said businessman Tim, a dad-of-three from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

“I couldn’t believe what I’d done. With every strum another letter must have bitten the dust.

“I’m not good enough to play Queen tunes so I’d been playing Oasis tracks – it was probably a rendition of ‘Fade Away’.”

Now big-hearted Brian has agreed to sign the guitar again after donating it to raise cash for a children’s cancer charity.

Auction organiser Sarah Cox said: “Tim was delighted with the guitar – he just got carried away.”