ROCK stars The Darkness have signed a specially-donated guitar to raise funds for a Brazilian children's charity.The top-selling band from Lowestoft have pledged support to the ABC Trust, which is based in Bury St Edmunds.

ROCK stars The Darkness have signed a specially-donated guitar to raise funds for a Brazilian children's charity.

The top-selling band from Lowestoft have pledged support to the ABC Trust, which is based in Bury St Edmunds.

The white guitar, signed by all four members of the group, has been donated by one of ABC's biggest corporate supporters Gibson Guitars.

It will be auctioned at a forthcoming annual charity dinner at Leeds United FC on Thursday, November 27.

The dinner's organiser and Smart & Cook managing director, Sean Hicks, will be receiving bids up to this date.

The guitar will also be viewable shortly on internet auction site eBay.

Mark Ereira, chief executive of ABC, said: " We are delighted that this great band – who coincidentally hail from Suffolk where our UK fundraising office is based – have seen fit to join with our music-based patrons, Jimmy Page and Bebel Gilberto by agreeing to support our work with Brazilian children living in extreme poverty.

"Our projects to help the children urgently require the cash that we hope to raise from this signed guitar auction. ABC is indebted to both The Darkness and our most wonderful corporate supporters Gibson Guitars who have arranged the signing and donated the guitar".

Gibson Guitar's UK Manager Pat Foley added: "As always Gibson are extremely proud and pleased to be able to assist the ABC Trust in their work which offers assistance and hope to some of the world's most needy and deserving children".

For bids, Mr Hicks can be emailed at sean.hicks@smartandcook.co.uk