Paul McCartney was recently auctioned . The comical story dates back many years before the letter was written, to a pre-Beatles era, and involves McCartney and his friend and bandmate, George Harrison.

According to NME , the two friends (until then anonymous) stayed at a farmhouse in Harlech, North Wales, for the first time in 1958 while on holiday. The homeowner was Irene Brierley , and the two young men became friends with her son John , who later reported that during that first stay the three of them used to play snooker and listen to Elvis Presley .

The following year, in 1959, McCartney and Harrison returned to the farmhouse to spend some time with the family, with whom they had formed a friendship. It was during this second and final visit that the pair allegedly took a blanket from the house in a sneaky manner and never returned it.

Some years later, Irene would write to McCartney, demanding payment of the "debt" for the blanket, to which the musician replied in a handwritten note in 1989:

Dear Ms. Brierley (Irene),

Your letter eventually reached me, and I was sorry to hear about my 'debt'!

I remember well the time we spent in Harlech and I hope the enclosed check resolves our financial differences! Please excuse my scribbles, I'm trying to write this on a bumpy express train!!

I was very sorry to hear the news about your husband – he was a wonderful man. Please send my regards to your boys.

Sweet greetings,

Paul McCartney

The rare item will be auctioned with a starting price of £3,000. More information, including a rare photo of Paul and George, can be found here .

Letter from Paul McCartney to Irene Brierley. Credits: Press release/Tracks LTD.

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