Hendrix owned at least three Sunburst Fender Stratocasters

A guitar owned and played by Jimi Hendrix has remained unsold at auction after failing to reach its reserve price.

The 1965 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster had been billed as the highlight of auctioneers Cooper Owen's "rock legends" sale in London.

They had expected it to fetch up to �150,000.

Hendrix, considered by many to be the greatest ever rock guitarist, died at the age of 27 in a London flat in September 1970 after overdosing on sleeping tablets.

The reserve price of the guitar was not revealed, although it was believed to be at least �100,000.

It had not been up for sale since it was presented to Hendrix's manager's assistant, Tappy Wright, shortly after the guitarist's death.

The guitar is one of three Sunbursts used by Hendrix.

Another, owned by Frank Zappa's son Dweezil, went up for sale last September.

It received a bid for �300,000 but Zappa declined to accept it.