Sir Paul McCartney is to get his hands back on the rights to The Beatles’ back catalogue of songs, which he lost 21 years ago.

The musician lost the rights to the majority of the Fab Four’s hits to then close friend Michael Jackson in a bidding war in 1985. Jackson paid nearly £40 million for the collection leaving McCartney, who dueted with Jackson on worldwide hit The Girl Is Mine in 1982, fuming.

Now the former Beatle has learned the rights to many of the songs, which include Come Together and Getting Better, are set to return to him automatically.

He revealed to Britain’s Daily Express newspaper: “In about 10 years a lot of the back catalogue returns to me, just legally. Some of the important rights are about to return which I didn’t realise.”

McCartney, 64, has previously admitted he hates the fact he has to pay Jackson money every time he plays one of his own songs on tour. He recently said: “You know what doesn’t feel very good is going on tour and paying to sing all my songs. Every time I sing Hey Jude I’ve got to pay someone.”