John Mainprize from John O’Groats Brewery was bowled over when he came face to face with sporting legend Sir Ian Botham at the weekend.

The English cricket star and charity fundraiser was on a fishing holiday in the far north when he called in on Sunday at the recently opened brewery shop.

John, a director and co-owner of the business, has been a Botham fan since his childhood in Suffolk and even skipped school so he could watch the famous all-rounder inspire England's victory in the 1981 Ashes series.

It took John a moment to recognise the celebrity visitor behind his obligatory face-covering, but Botham went on to spend more than half an hour in the shop which has been established in the village's landmark Last House.

“He was up doing a bit of fishing on different rivers and he just happened to pop into the shop with his wife," John explained.

“To be honest I didn't recognise him at first with the mask on, but as soon as he spoke I recognised the voice.

“I'm old enough to remember his exploits in the 1981 Ashes when I was a mid-teens schoolboy and I remember bunking off school to watch it on TV.

“He's a personal hero. They say never meet your heroes but he was a charming gent, really pleasant to talk to.

“I showed him through to the brewery and got a picture of him there, albeit the brewery is still in pieces."

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The shop began trading in July, although the plans to create an associated brewery, tasting room and visitor centre have been put back as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The development will add to the existing brewery at the village's old fire station and give John O'Groats another tourist attraction. The centre will have information about the area and how the beer is made.

"Everything has been delayed because of Covid," John said. "We should have had the new brewery in place in June and the bar open by then as well. The shop was supposed to open at Easter but it only opened towards the end of July.

“But I have to say it has been extremely successful so far. We're getting a lot of people through the door and I think they are enjoying having somewhere to go and spend a few pounds.”

He is looking forward to getting the brewing equipment up and running in the near future.

“We'll get the guys up and do the installation hopefully in the next few weeks, commission it, and I'll be able to do some practice brews on it before using it in anger,” John said.

Botham went away with a complimentary pack of John O'Groats beer.

John said: “He came to buy a gift pack but in my awe and gratitude at him for taking the time to speak to me and have his picture taken and everything, I gave him the pack as a gift, from myself rather than the brewery."

Botham already has a well-known connection to Groats. His first charity walk from John O'Groats to Land's End took place in 1985, amid much publicity, and he walked the end-to-end route again in 1999.

He has undertaken many other walks in different parts of the world and his charitable work has raised more than £25 million. He was knighted in 2007.

John O’Groats Brewery was set up in 2015, with the first batch of beer ready by early 2016. It produces bottled beers, cask ales and some specials.

This year it achieved its second medal at the London Beer Competition, receiving a silver for its Deep Groat stout.

Related stories:

• Brewery shop opens at Last House in John O'Groats

• £250,000 plans brewing to create new visitor experience at John O’Groats

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