Rock superstar Mick Jagger stunned diners at a remote Bay of Islands pub when he strolled in unannounced for a few non-alcoholic drinks.
The singer was spotted relaxing in picturesque Russell on Tuesday, three days after the Rolling Stones' 14 On Fire tour finished last Saturday with a spectacular gigfor almost 40,000 fans at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium.
Sporting a cap and sunglasses, a casually dressed Jagger arrived at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel on Tuesday evening and headed for the bar.
Jagger and a friend in his 30s sat on the hotel deck, sipping sparkling mineral water, and watched the sun go down. He told staff he did not want to be disturbed and would leave if anyone approached him.
"There were more than 100 people having dinner and most could not believe their eyes when Jagger turned up," a hotel source said. "He is pretty hard to miss.
"There was a lot of nudging and pointing going on from the other patrons but Jagger was left alone.
"He stayed for about 45 minutes but then the place started filling up. It was clear Mick knew it was time to go before he got mobbed and he wandered off down the street."
Jagger was later seen boarding a private boat at Russell Wharf.
"A friend was on the last ferry back to Paihia about 10.30pm and told me she couldn't believe it when she saw Mick Jagger getting into a nearby boat," a local said.
The coast near Russell is littered with homes owned by the rich and famous, including opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and multi-millionaire businessmen such as Gary Paykel, Trevor Farmer and Craig Turner.
Two days before his appearance in Russell, Jagger was spotted boarding a private chartered helicopter in Auckland.
On the eve of the Stones' gig, legendary guitarist Keith Richards dined with his wife, Patti Hansen, at Auckland's French Cafe.
