A guitar signed by Snow Patrol is being auctioned by a Belfast-based charity to aid children suffering from famine in war-torn east Africa.

It is hoped the autographed Fender will help raise thousands of pounds for the Tuesday’s Child Christmas appeal to bring food aid and relief to vulnerable children.

The instrument was donated and sold by the charity in 2009, but has been generously returned for this appeal.

The charity travelled to northern Kenya and the Somali border earlier this year, giving out fortified food, clean water, milk, mosquito nets and medicines.

Drought and rising food costs have brought starvation back to east Africa and up to 10 million people face famine. Charity founder Orla Sheehan said people are leaving Somalia and walking south hundreds of miles to find food. About 1,200 malnourished children arrive in refugee camps each day, exhausted and starving.

Ms Sheehan said the band had helped the charity in the past and said the guitar would be a collector’s item. “It really is a beautiful guitar specially chosen by the band to match our corporate colours.”

The guitar will be auctioned online and has a reserve of £1,500.

For more details log onto www.tuesdayschild.ie