Eric Clapton auctions guitars for charity

British rock guitarist Eric Clapton has sold more than 70 of his instruments at a charity auction in New York.

The sale by Bonham's raised more than $1.7m (£1m) for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in Antigua, which Clapton co-founded.

A 1948 Gibson hollow body guitar raised the highest price at $83,000, way above its estimated value of $30,000.

The sale also included amplifiers and a Gianni Versace suit made for Clapton's 1990 concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Another of the guitars sold was a replica of Clapton's famous Fender Stratocaster, known as "Blackie", which raised more than $30,000.

The original was auctioned seven years ago for just under $1m (£600,000), making it the most expensive guitar ever sold.

Clapton founded the Crossroads Center in Antigua in 1998 after conquering his own addictions to alcohol and heroin.

Two previous auctions have been held to benefit the centre, in 1999 and 2004.