REGULARS at a quiet Hampshire pub must have thought someone had spiked their drinks when former American President Jimmy Carter walked through the door.

The international statesman downed a few fine ales, feasted on some traditional English grub and chatted with regulars at The Mill Arms in Dunbridge, near Romsey.

America's most famous peanut farmer was accompanied by his wife Rosalynn and an entourage including no fewer than ten secret service agents who had booked up all six guest rooms in the pub.

The ex-President - in Britain to receive an award for his contribution to humanitarianism - stayed the night after a day's fishing on the River Test.

Only landlord Terry Lewis and few select members of staff knew about the visit but they could not breathe a word for security reasons.

Terry said: "He may not be on the world stage quite as much now, but you can't take any chances.

"He really is a lovely bloke - a man of the people. He had time for everyone. It wasn't just shaking hands and goodbye.

"I guess we'll have to refer to the room he slept in as the presidential suite from now on."

The Carters were the guests of Orvis, an American fishing tackle company with a branch in Stockbridge.

It seems Mr Carter, US leader from 1977 to 1981, underestimates his fame somewhat. When he shook hands with people, he said: "Hello, I'm Jimmy Carter."

The man who brokered the historic Camp David peace agreement between Israel and Egypt lunched on soup and home-made ravioli, and in the evening ordered steak, ale and kidney pie with chips.

Among the local ales which met with approval were Pride of Romsey and, ironically, Boondoggle, a Hampshire beer with an American name, roughly meaning stick-in-the-mud.

Local Jon Butler, who had the good sense to nip home and grab a camera to record the event, said: "Terry told me and a few others that Jimmy Carter was going to be staying the night and we naturally thought it was a wind-up.

"But within a couple of minutes the security men had arrived and then President Carter himself came in. We were just stunned.

"He said he was enjoying the fishing and commented on how pretty the ladies are in Dunbridge.''

Pub regular Nicki Bergman Brown, 35, said: "The whole thing was totally surreal. I've been lucky enough to meet Mikhail Gorbachev and Ingmar Bergman, but this was different. You just don't expect to see an American president in your local.

"He was very nice to everyone and was happy to have his picture taken. The security people were quite discreet but you could tell who they were as they were all wearing short sleeves and had walkie-talkie earpieces."

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