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The Beatles' handwritten Hey Jude lyrics sell for £731,000

Getty Images Paul McCartney holds four year old Julian, son of his colleague John Lennon (visible in the background) during a holidayGetty Images
Paul McCartney holds a young Julian Lennon, with John Lennon in the background

Paul McCartney's handwritten lyrics for The Beatles' song Hey Jude have sold at auction for £731,000 ($910,000).

The anonymous buyer purchased the item for almost six times more than the £128,000 estimate.

Sir Paul wrote the 1968 hit to console the young Julian Lennon after the divorce of the boy's parents John and Cynthia.

The lyrics sheet was among more than 250 items auctioned to mark 50 years since the Liverpool band broke up.

Julien's Auctions Sir Paul McCartney's handwritten lyrics for The Beatles' 1968 hit Hey JudeJulien's Auctions
Sir Paul often finishes concerts with an audience sing-along to Hey Jude

Sir Paul previously said: "I was quite mates with Julian. I was going out in my car just vaguely singing this song, 'Hey Jules, don't make it bad…'.

"Then I thought a better name was Jude - a bit more country and western for me."

A bass drumhead used in the opening concert of the band's first North American tour fetched £161,000 ($200,000) - four times its estimate.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "BAGISM" drawing, featured in the couple's 1969 Bed In Peace documentary as part of their protest against the Vietnam War, sold for £75,000 ($93,750).

While a script page for The Beatles' Hello, Goodbye music video, complete with drawings and ideas from Lennon, George Harrison and the Beatles' roadie Mal Evans, fetched £67,000 ($83,200).