A poem penned by John Lennon which contained the same expletive repeated 104 times has sold for �3,352 at auction.

The work, made up of a four-letter word repeated around the word "you", was sent to a fan who wrote to the former member of the Beatles nearly 30 years ago.

The script, signed and titled by Lennon and countersigned by his wife Yoko Ono in 1969, has the expletive arranged in seven columns with "you" at the centre of the middle column.

'You can publish'

As well as the unusual poem, a covering letter in Lennon's hand was also part of the sale.

The missive read: "Dear Susan, here's the poem you wanted - you can publish ... but not make a record of it - for it turns into a song then - OK?"

The star wrote the piece for Susan Baker, manager of the band the Barrow Poets which performed poetry and music in concert halls, pubs and at universities in Britain and abroad.

Susan, who now lives in Wiltshire, kept the piece, but decided to sell it at Saturday's auction in Mere, Wilts.

'It could offend'

Speaking before the sale, auctioneer Robert Finan, of Finan & Co, said the content of the poem caused him some difficulties.

"Cataloguing the item was something of a problem as quite obviously it could offend.

"I have avoided the use of the expletive and I am making sure that the photocopies of the documents are not on show at the viewing days.

"This is obviously a very unusual piece."