Ampthill publican given the bird for his birthday

For among a stack of presents from regulars at the Queen’s Head, in the historic Georgian market town, was a stuffed pheasant.

Stunned Richard returned from an early evening meal out with two chums to find the place had been festooned with bunting while he was away.

Then he was greeted with the blaring racket from dozens of party blowers as he walked through the pub’s West Terrace entrance.

And veteran one-man-band minstrel Roger ‘Chucklefoot’ Butler launched into an up-tempo version of Happy Birthday on his banjo.

Father-of-four Richard was overcome with emotion as he thanked barmaid Lisa and regulars Chrissie and Kerry who had spent three weeks secretly organising the beano.

Other customers had chipped in to lay on a buffet.

“I’m lost for words,” stammered Richard. “I need a blooming drink.”

Which was appropriate, because among the other presents Kerry had bought after a whip round among regulars was a bottle of his favourite rum.

Chess-playing Richard took over the popular Ampthill pub 15 years ago and turned it into one of the town’s favourite boozers.

During that time the former bricklayer has frequently found himself in the news – both locally and nationally.

Once he ended up on the Andrew Marr TV show after controversially replacing his pub sign with a giant photo of Pippa Middleton’s bum at Prince William’s wedding.

The story featured in most national newspapers and furious Ampthill resident Charlie Garth was quoted saying: “We don’t want disgraceful pictures of ladies’ posteriors on our pub signs. That sort of behaviour might be acceptable in the fleshpots of Flitwick or Luton but not Ampthill.”

Then last year Richard was featured on The Sun’s Page 3 in an article about how cheeky regulars had taught his pet parrot Kermit to chirp “Show us your knickers” every time a pretty woman walked past his cage.