Tarrant ‘fails drink drive test’ ... but were police tipped off by neighbours?

CHRIS Tarrant has appeared in court accused of drink-driving after visiting his local pub.

Tarrant, 71, allegedly failed a breath test after officers stopped him in his £60,000 Mercedes at 2.30pm last Saturday.

He had just left The Bladebone Inn in Bucklebury, West Berkshire.

Some villagers suggested police may have been ‘tipped off’ by someone angry about the TV presenter’s repeated expansion of his nearby property.

The Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? host appeared at Reading magistrates’ court on

‘Don’t know how he got planning permission’

Monday. He was said to have had 50micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35micrograms. He is yet to enter a plea but sources close to the star suggested he will deny the charge.

A spokesman for Tarrant said: ‘He is currently taking legal advice and we have no further comment.’

A worker at the Cottage Inn, another pub near the star’s home, said: ‘I know someone who works there [at The Bladebone] and it’s been going around that the police were tipped off about it.

‘He goes to all the parties at that pub, he’s a regular. He was supposed to be going to a party that night but apparently never made it after being arrested.’ A neighbour said: ‘To be honest we’re shocked at the news. Whenever he’s here he’s a bit of a loner…I waved at him once but he completely ignored me. He’s known as a regular at The Bladebone though.’

The presenter bought his home in the village for just over £1million in 2004 and has since extended the gated property three times and added a balcony.

His most recent application, in 2016, was refused by councillors who said the property, once a ‘small cottage’, had become ‘overdeveloped’.

However, the bid to expand it into a ninebedroom property was passed on appeal.

The two-storey home sits down a mud track overlooking acres of woodland and fields. It is less than a mile from the home of Michael and Carole Middleton, parents of the Duchess of Cambridge. A neighbour said: ‘When he bought it, it was a tiny thing, very pretty but tiny. We don’t know how on earth he has got planning permission. We tried and couldn’t.’

But another added: ‘To be honest he’s never any trouble…He’s seen around the village quite a lot and he’s well liked.’

Wynne Frankum, of Bucklebury parish council, said: ‘I can’t imagine anyone would have tipped off the police over his planning applications. We refused his latest one… parishioners thought on balance that it had been extended enough. But Chris is very much liked in the parish.’

Tarrant is due in court on January 18.