Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is to buy Abbey Road studios, it was reported today. The man behind a string of West End musicals including Evita and Oliver is keen to save the studios to preserve the future of the music industry, his spokesperson said. Plan

Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is to buy Abbey Road studios, it was reported today.

The man behind a string of West End musicals including Evita and Oliver is keen to save the studios to preserve the future of the music industry, his spokesperson said.

Plans to put the studios in St John's Wood up for sale were revealed earlier this week much to the dismay of the music world.

News that Mr Lloyd Webber. Who has an estimated fortune of �750million has stepped in will bring some relief to the world of showbusiness and millions of music fans.

His spokesman said: "Andrew Lloyd Webber is very interested in buying Abbey Road Studios. He first recorded there in 1967 with Tim Rice.

"Andrew has since recorded most of his musicals there, from Jesus Christ Superstar to his new musical Love Never Dies.

"He thinks it is vital that the studios are saved for the future of the music industry in the UK.

"Abbey Road has such great facilities, with three major recording studios, and Andrew has probably brought more musicians to record there than anyone else, because it has the capacity to record large orchestral productions."

Some of the world's greatest musicians have recorded music at Abbey Road, notably The Beatles who recorded all of their albums there.