Spice Girl's Wye Valley visit (From Free Press Series)

Spice Girl's Wye Valley visit

DINNER guests at a hotel in Tintern had a little more spice than they bargained for, when they were joined by a surprise visitor.

Unsuspecting staff had booked former spice girl Melanie Chisholm, better known as Sporty Spice, and a companion for an over-night stay into the Royal George under the name of 'Star'.

One member of staff at the hotel said: "Nobody seemed to recognise her at first. She sat quietly in the garden reading a book, but it was her tattoos that gave her a way.

"She was absolutely lovely, very quiet and polite. As soon as one person realised who she was, everyone noticed her.

"At dinner there was a private party going on and the children kept asking her for her autograph and she never refused once.

"She was always smiling and signing autographs for the children who kept running up to her."

The pair spent hours cycling and walking around the picturesque Wye Valley, and later joined guests in the bar for evening drinks.

Branwell Pearce, proprietor of the Royal George Hotel, said: "She was much smaller than I thought she would be and so shy.

"She had dinner in the restaurant and people were constantly bothering her for autographs, but she never declined.

"On the Sunday when Mel and her friend came down for breakfast, she was very natural and seemed relaxed. They had their breakfast and got kitted out for cycling - they looked very professional.

"They went out for four hours. I asked her if she had come to this area before and she said 'yes once and we liked it very much'.

"When they were ready to leave, Mel and her friend came to say goodbye to us. I asked if she enjoyed her stay, and she said it was lovely, and that they'd be back again."