A piano which legendary musician Russ Conway used to compose some of his greatest hits is to be auctioned.

Hits including Side Saddle, China Tea and Snow Coach were among the tunes composed by Mr Conway in the Fifties on the German all-white Steck piano.

Before his death from cancer in Eastbourne in 2000, Mr Conway, whose real name was Trevor Stanford, left the piano to a long-time friend.

He has agreed to have it auctioned on the eBay web site from next week starting from £10,000.

The owner plans to donate £1,000 from the sale to a school or youth club in Sussex to buy instruments of their choice.

He said: "It's what Russ would have wanted. It's a lovely piano but I'm having to sell it off as I simply haven't got space for it anymore.

"It's a unique piano which Russ has used to play at the London Palladium and has storage space for wine and paperwork."

The owner, who lives in Little Common, Bexhill, struck up a friendship with Mr Conway in 1980 when he had a chat with him in his dressing room at the London Palladium.

As he was ushered out by doormen, the man asked for his business card to be passed to Mr Conway, who called him the next day.

Within months he was on Mr Conway's team of staff, working as his valet, bodyguard and general helper.