A guitar that was stolen 13 years ago has been reunited with its owner after he tracked it down on eBay.

The 46-year-old is strumming away again after the treasured instrument turned up on the auction website last week.

It had disappeared in 2000 in a burglary at his then home in Woodville Road, Golders Green.

Det Sgt Julie Henderson, of the acquisitive crime unit at Barnet police, said: “We had to act quickly so we could get there before the guitar was sold.

“The owner was very passionate about it and close to tears when we got it back. It’s the first time I’ve seen something recovered that was stolen so long ago. It shows you should never give up hope.”

The culprit was caught and imprisoned at the time, but the guitar seemed lost forever.

It was finally recovered from a Chalk Farm man, who had nothing to do with the theft.

The guitar’s owner, a former rock musician, said: “For the last few years, I’ve had a search saved on eBay for the same type of Crestwood guitar.

“I knew it was mine straight away because I put a sticker of a 1950s pin-up girl on the body and it was still there.

“It was fantastic and quite emotional to get it back. It represented a part of my life and a lot of happy times. It sounds beautiful.”

The guitar was bought in Camden Town in the 1980s and travelled the world on tour with its owner, who was in a successful punk band at the time.

“I’m not a very material person, but this guitar had a lot of memories,” he added.