Nigel Kennedy's stolen violins found at Wales auction

22 October 2012, 10:21 | Updated: 30 September 2014, 14:21

Three personalised electric violins belonging to Nigel Kennedy have been found for sale at a Wales auction house and returned to their rightful owner.

Nigel Kennedy has been given back three stolen electric violins after they were found at an auction house in Wales. They were stolen from the violinist's tour bus in 2005, but only discovered last week.

The theft is all the more surprising considering the electric violins were finished in the distinctive claret and blue colour scheme of Kennedy's favourite football club and lifetime obsession, Aston Villa.

The director of the Clwyd Auction Centre, Trudi Denton, told the Liverpool Echo: "The vendor, who is a very respectable dealer we have dealt with for 20 years, bought them in good faith for £20 each."

Further investigation online told the auction house that these items matched the description of Kennedy's stolen violins. When they were initially stolen, Kennedy commented: "I fear for their safety if a Birmingham City fan gets their hands on them."