A banjo once played by John Lennon has been unveiled at Strawberry Field.
The five-string instrument, which Lennon used in The Quarrymen, was put on display at the iconic Beatles-inspired location to celebrate his 85th birthday.
Originally owned by Quarrymen bandmate Rod Davies, the banjo is on loan from collector Ashley Davie as part of a world-renowed collection of artefacts.
They include the famous ‘Imagine’ piano on which Lennon composed his iconic song which became one of the 20th century’s greatest peace anthems.
The banjo was played by Rod at all The Quarrymen’s early gigs, including the Woolton Village Fete in July 1957 where John first met Paul McCartney.
Rod, now 83, said: “The banjo was also played by John Lennon.
“If he broke a string mid-song, he’d grab my banjo and carry on, the chords his mother taught him worked perfectly on it. I’d quickly fix his guitar so we could swap back before the next number.
“So not only did John play this banjo, but his mother Julia did too.”
The Quarrymen will mark their late bandmate’s milestone anniversary with an exclusive live performance at Strawberry Field on Thursday (October 9).
Rod added: “It’s an incredible honour to be here and unveil this special banjo at Strawberry Field, a place held dearly by John and where he spent much time during his childhood.
“Performing here on what would have been his 85th birthday was a poignant way to mark the occasion and to remember his enduring legacy.”