Michael Jackson chauffeur recalls star

THE Exeter owner of a specialist car hire company has recounted his fond memories of Michael Jackson, who he drove on several occasions when the star visited Devon.

Stuart Blundell’s most significant brush with the singer, whose funeral takes place tomorrow, came when Jackson visited St James’s Park and was made an honorary director of Exeter City Football Club.

Mr Blundell arranged several different vehicles and a specially-trained driver for the trip.

But his relationship with the Jackson family began several years earlier, when Michael apparently performed an impromptu concert at the Queen’s Theatre, in Barnstaple, North Devon.

Mystery surrounds that 1999 visit, and there has been speculation that it was a lookalike, but Mr Blundell, who supplied and drove a stretch limousine, remains convinced.

“We were told there would be a big star and there was to be no talking to him, no photos taken and no autographs asked for,” said the Woodbury resident, who is in his 60s.

“At first we thought it was a wind-up so it took my breath away when he jumped in the car.”

It was to be the start of a productive relationship for Antique and Hollywood Limousine SW, a company which has a fleet of 11 vehicles based in Ide, near Alphington.

“The Jacksons always use the same companies once they have checked them out and trust them to provide a professional job,” Mr Blundell said.

“Over the past 10 years we have done about six jobs for the Jacksons, including when Jermaine Jackson, Michael’s brother, visited the county after his stay in the Big Brother house.”

But it was to be Michael’s visit to Exeter in 2002 which was to be the most memorable for the car hire firm. They supplied several vehicles for the trip, which attracted thousands of fans to St James’s Park and was carefully planned with Jackson’s security people and police.

“We had to clean the car using nothing but soap and water because Michael had so many allergies,” Mr Blundell said.

“His chief security guard came down the day before the trip and we went through everything with a fine tooth comb.”

Mr Blundell picked up the star and his entourage from St David’s station in a limousine.

“We had been told to keep the windows wound up for security reasons but Jackson put me in a difficult position because he kept asking for them to be down so he could talk to his fans,” Mr Blundell said.

The star was transferred to an open-top 1930s style car to drive into the football ground. Surprising the driver and his own security staff, he leapt out and stumbled before making a speech.