ROCK star Ian Anderson, leader of the world renowned rock band Jethro Tull, has donated a special, signed guitar believed to be worth more than £4,000 for an auction being staged at an Oak and Furrows fundraising dinner.

The guitar, an electro-acoustic Raven 1 custom made by Devon luthier Andrew Manson in 1994 will have a £3,000 reserve price on the night and will be auctioned by Philip Allwood of Moore, Allen and Innocent and BBC's Bargain Hunt programme.

It was used on the writing and recording of Roots To Branches (released 1996) and on tour in the USA and Europe in 1995 and is fitted with a Fishman under-saddle transducer and pre-amp.

Jethro Tull, known for hits Living in the Past, The Witch’s Promise and Sweet Dream, enjoyed huge success in the late 1960s and 1970s.

The event which will be held on March 4 at the former Four Pillars Hotel at the Cotswold Water Park will include dinner, the auction, a poetry reading by Pam Ayres, poet and entertainer, and music by the Sapphires quartet and singer/songwriter Leon Day.

Proceeds from the auction will go towards urgently needed funds for the wildlife rescue centre, near Cricklade, which has helped more than 4,000 animals and birds in the past year.

Ian will personally sign the label on the guitar inside the instrument.

Ian, Pam and Adam Binder, who has donated a bronze owl, are all patrons of Oak and Furrows.

The bronze owl is one of 12 created by the leading sculptor, with one previously offered for sale at a gallery fetching £4,000.

Pam has donated a painting, Mitsubishi - sponsors of Gloucester Rugby Club - has donated a signed ball, and mosaicist Debra Stirling has donated a two-day mosaics course.

Robin Thompson, Oak and Furrows chairman of trustees, said: “We have also been promised more along with raffle prizes.

"The event is expected to be the first of several over the next year or so, to boost funds which are now under great pressure.”

Oak and Furrows provide care for around 60 animal patients at any one time. From fallen fledgling birds to hibernating hedgehogs and deer the charity has been a lifeline for sick and injured wild animals since 1996.

To cope with their increasing demand the charity moved from their Somerford Keys base to the Blakehill Farm nature reserve in Wiltshire.

The charity are always looking for donations of cat and dog food to feed an ever growing number of hedgehogs over the winter period along with newspapers to line the animals' cages.

Tickets at £30 can be ordered by calling the head of fund raising for Oak and Furrows Wildlife Rescue Centre on 01793 751412. To donate to the charity visit www.justgiving.com/oakandfurrows