Sir Paul McCartney hands family 6-figure thank you fee after they returned £10m guitar he lost in 1960s

SIR Paul McCartney has handed a hefty reward to a family who returned his beloved bass guitar 50 years after it was stolen.

The Beatle, 81, has also sent his thanks to Cathy Guest, who found the four-string Höfner instrument — worth an estimated £10million — in her loft.

It comes after weeks of negotiations between Cathy, 52, and his music publishing company MPL.

We exclusively revealed last month that the Höfner 500/1 electric bass, Macca’s favourite guitar which he bought for £30 in Hamburg in 1961, had been returned to him.

A source said: “They have now agreed a deal and the family have been given a very significant thank-you fee.

“Sir Paul has also expressed his gratitude to Cathy and the family.”

It is understood the reward is a six-figure sum.

Mum-of-two Cathy, of Hastings, East Sussex, said: “I can’t talk about the amount, but I won’t be moving or doing anything to change my life. My lifestyle won’t be changing.”

After the guitar’s theft in West London, it was discovered the thief sold it to a pub landlord for “not much money plus a few free pints”.

It was later given to Cathy’s late husband by his brother.

She found it while clearing her loft last year and realised it was Sir Paul’s after Googling it.