Paul McCartney has been reunited with a famous stolen bass guitar after an initiative launched by journalists hoped to find the missing instrument by inviting people to speak anonymously.

Its violin-like shape is iconic of a German brand called Hí¶fner which McCartney popularized, but then had his stolen out of the back of the Beatles' touring van in Ladbroke Grove in 1972.

The Lost Bass Project started with no evidence and no leads, but after stating there was no intention to blame or press charges, some people wrote in saying it had been sold to the landlord of a pub in Ladbroke before making its way to a family in Sussex.

Then like all heirlooms and antiques, it was found stuffed in an attic.

"The guitar has been authenticated by Hí¶fner and Paul is incredibly grateful to all those involved," a statement from the Lost Bass Project said.

One of the journalists involved with the project told the BBC that "people wished McCartney well and wanted to help," without adding whether or not they or their relatives were responsible for the theft.

"We didn't expect it to go very far, but it caught the imagination of 1000s of people," wrote the team at the Lost Bass Project. "Within a week it was in newspapers all over the world. We were asked to do numerous interviews and appear on several television news broadcasts."

"As a result of the publicity someone living in a terraced house in Hastings on the south coast of England contacted Paul McCartney's company and then returned the bass to them. The search was over-Paul had his stolen bass back at last!"

The bass was complete and still in its case. It will need some repairs before it can be played again.

With the strap ratcheted right up to Paul's pectoral muscles, the Beatles star used the Hí¶fner to record various songs including Love Me Do, and She Loves You. He had purchased it in Germany for £30 in 1961.

"To have found it quite quickly is amazing and we've heard how thrilled Paul McCartney is to have it back," said Mr. Scott Jones of the Lost Bass Project. "That's just the icing on the cake to know that bloke we all love is smiling tonight because his old guitar is back."

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