Rare copy of Beatles' first LP found in Oxfam shop and sold to raise cash for Haiti



Rare find: The sleeve of The Beatles' first album Please Please Me

A rare copy of The Beatles’ first album Please Please Me found in an Oxfam shop has raised more than £1,300 for the charity’s Haiti appeal.



The record – one of only 300 original pressings – was discovered in a carrier bag of junk handed in by an anonymous donor in Liverpool.



It was sold on eBay to a collector in Hampshire. Please Please Me hit the top of the UK album charts in May 1963 and remained there for 30 weeks.



The first pressing was released by Parlophone and is one of the most sought-after items among collectors.



Gerard O’Flanagan, manager of the Oxfam shop on Bold Street, said: 'We found the album in a bag with other items.

'We have been so busy with customers coming in to either donate cash for the Haiti appeal or donating items to be sold for Haiti.

‘The record was in good condition, and the cover had only a bit of wear and tear around the edges.’



'When we realised that it was the first album released by the Beatles and that it was one of the first 300 pressed, we went straight onto our eBay account and put it up for auction.



'We were holding in our hands one of the rarest and most collectable items in existence.'

Bidders were encouraged to come to the Bold Street shop to take a look at the record for themselves.



Mr O'Flanagan added: 'We are very pleased with the sale of the album. Right now we are focusing on raising as much as possible for the Haiti appeal.'

Oxfam has a 200-strong team working round the clock in Haiti to provide clean water, sanitation facilities, latrine slabs and hygiene kits to over 110,000 earthquake victims.



Millions of pounds have been donated by the public so far.