A TOP TV gardening guru caused chaos in Bromsgrove High Street when he arrived to sign his latest book.

At one point, last Wednesday, around 70 people were queuing outside Ottakars Bookstore to meet Alan Titchmarsh.

Shop manager Stuart Lemon said there was even a call from the town's CCTV camera operators to complain that the High Street was being blocked by people trying to meet the popular TV star.

Eager townsfolk clutched copies of Alan's latest novel, Rosie, ready to meet the star and get their books signed.

Speaking exclusively to the Advertiser/Messenger after the event, Alan said he was really pleased with the amount of people who turned up to meet him. "It was great so many people turned up. It is always a relief when doing a book signing that people do want to come along and meet me," he said.

Alan said he knew the area quite well having worked at Birmingham's Pebble Mill studios for a number of years.

He is currently gearing up for the annual gardening shows starting with the Malvern Spring Gardening Show, where he will be this Friday, and then at the end of the month it's the prestigious Chelsea show.

Alan said most of his time now was spent writing with about a quarter of his time working on TV.

He added: "I love this time of year, spring brings such fresh delight. I guess when that wonderful feeling stops happening, then I stop gardening."

Store manager Stuart Lemon said the Alan Titchmarsh book signing was the most successful event ever held at the shop.

"Alan was great, he chatted to everyone and had his photos taken with them. All the customers went away very happy. We sold an awful lot of his new novel and were really pleased how the signing turned out."

sarah.mawhinney@

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newsquest.co.uk