Rocker's heirlooms under the hammer

Given his band's reputation for smashing things up, it was surprising any of the stuff was still intact - but a bizarre set of objects belonging to legendary rocker John Entwistle went under the hammer yesterday.

A total of 754 lots, practically everything the bass player with The Who owned, raised £123,000.

For a man who played on the rock anthem Pinball Wizard, it was no surprise a pinball machine was one of the most sought after items.

Marketing executive Graham Dodridge paid just £1,500 for the machine, called The Ox, bought to celebrate the success of rock opera movie Tommy.

Mr Dodridge, 40, lives in Upper Slaughter, a few miles from Entwistle's mansion, Quarwood, in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire.

Other items reflected the star's sense of humour: two skeletons used to play jokes on guests fetched £440.

A model of a rattlesnake went for £280, a leather sculpture of a man's torso fetched £2,200 and a bust of Princess Anne was a snip at £35.

Martin Lambert, of auctioneers Humberts, said of the sale in Andoversford, near Entwistle's home: 'The response has been overwhelming - the best we've ever had.'

The 57-year-old bass player died of a heart attack triggered by cocaine, in a Las Vegas hotel in 2002. The money raised will go to pay off death duties.