Violinist leaves rare 310-year-old instrument worth £250,000 on train... ...

 A devastated musician forgot his 310-year-old antique violin on the train and was instead forced to use his wife's to lead the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in concert.
Stephen Morris, who left the £250,000 instrument on the London to Orpington service Tuesday night, has now launched a desperate public search.

The 'piece of history' was one of only a few made by master craftsman David Tecchler in 1709 and the distraught violist likened losing it to having a limb lopped off.

And in a further blow, Mr Morris had been due to play the violin while leading the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in two Andrea Boccelli concerts at the weekend.

The musician, who has also played on film scores including Lord of the Rings and James Bond and recorded with David Bowie and Stevie Wonder, reported it to lost luggage and British Transport Police.

Sarah Sexton, Stephen's wife, had to lend him her violin for the concerts

Mr Morris urged anyone who found the violin, which he bought in 2003 and described as 'a piece of history', to 'please return it'.

'It's devastating to lose it and quite apart from its value, it's my livelihood,' he told the BBC.

'I was really only its custodian - one of many people who have played it - and I had hoped to pass it on to another violinist eventually.'

Mr Morris from Sydenham, London, had to borrow another violin from his wife Sarah Sexton - also a professional musician - for performances in Manchester and Leeds at the weekend.

The 'piece of history' was one of only a few made by master craftsman David Tecchler in 1709 and the distraught violist likened losing it to having a limb lopped off


Tecchler was part of the renowned Roman School of Violin Making in the 17th Century and was considered to be the institution's leading violin and cello maker