SPECULATION is growing that one of the country’s most famous businessmen might be moving to a mansion near Tenbury.

Alan Sugar, who fronts the BBC show The Apprentice, flew into Shobdon near Leominster earlier this month and it is believed that he then travelled east to Pudleston Court. The Tudor gothic style mansion was put on the market for offers in excess of £5million following the death of Dr Albert Heijn.

Members of the Herefordshire Aero Club, at Shobdon, confirmed that Lord Sugar flew into the county on June 18, but did not know his movements from the county’s one licensed airfield. Lord Sugar, who founded electronics company Amstrad and was also chairman of Tottenham Hotspur FC, confirmed on his Twitter page that he had been in the area.

“Off to Gloucester today to drop off my plane (cirrus) for the annual service,” he wrote on June 18, before pouring further fuel on the rumour mill when he tweeted: “Not on hols, got work to do this week on real estate issues.”

Tony Morris-Eyton, of estate agents Savills, said he could not comment on the interested parties due to client confidentiality, but added that the exquisite home with fabulous privacy has welcomed many potential buyers. Pat Ward, who lives in the village, agreed, saying: “Since Pudleston Court has gone on the market, it has been a bit like the M25, but with helicopters. It’s not unusual to see them, but there has been an awful lot recently.”

David Fraser, who handles media enquiries on Lord Sugar’s behalf, said talk of the millionaire buying the property was wide of the mark.

“Lord Sugar is a keen flyer and takes his plane out most weekends as a hobby. He usually takes off from his local airfield, he goes somewhere pleasant, lands, has a cup of coffee and then goes home again.”

However, these comments were not enough to stop those in Pudleston dreaming of having a famous new neighbour.

Helen Perrett, who lives a few fields away from the home and had heard Lord Sugar’s name mentioned, said: “It would be great if he did come. We could all go to him with our ideas of making millions.”