A legend of popular music has donated a signed box set exploring one of the most iconic albums of all time to help parents who have lost a child.

A signed Beatles set of six discs has been handed to the Forever Stars charity - straight from Sir Paul McCartney's personal collection.

The legendary musician and songwriter will even personalise the set with his signature and a message once it is sold at auction.

The lot has been described as the "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band super deluxe, six-disc set" and carries an estimate of between £250 and £500.

It will be sold at Hansons Auctioneers, in Heage Lane, Etwall, in a specialist music sale on Wednesday, March 14.

Forever Stars was set up by Nottingham couple Richard and Michelle Daniels in 2013 after the death of their baby daughter.

Little Emily was stillborn at the Queen's Medical Centre, in Nottingham.

Mr Daniels, 41, said: "The donation is amazing, I am absolutely blown away by it.

Signed The Beatles collection going for sale at Hansons Auctioneers
Signed The Beatles collection going for sale at Hansons Auctioneers

"I was in shock when we received the email confirming the gift from Sir Paul McCartney's office, which we contacted in the hope he would us.

"It's a generous gift from one of the world's biggest stars.

"I can't begin to imagine how much we may raise from this but I'm sure it will be substantial."

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: "We always do as much as we can to support charity causes and this topic is one close to my heart.

"I very much hope Paul McCartney's kind donation will raise a great deal of money for this charity."

To date, Forever Stars has raised more than £250,000.

Of this, £115,000 was used to build a bereavement area for parents who have stillborn babies or suffer the distress of neonatal baby loss at Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre.

Anybody interested in finding out more about the sale on Wednesday, March 14, can contact the auction house on 01283 733988 or by emailing jspencer@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk

Sgt Peppers is regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time and spent 27 weeks at number one in the UK charts.

It features classic tunes like With a Little Help from my Friends and Getting Better, as well as some of the Beatles' most experimental and psychedelic work, including Within you Without You and A Day in the Life.