TV star Timmy Mallett visits Hartlepool restaurant during marathon cycle ride

Mallett, a star of 1980s children’s show The Wide Awake Club, stopped off at The Open Jar bar and restaurant, at Seaton Carew, for a parmo earlier this week and spent around an hour chatting with staff and customers.

Joe Franks, the owner of The Open Jar, said after Monday’s visit: “He was fantastic.

"We have had a few famous people in here over the year and he was one of the best.

"He spoke to staff, spoke to customers, asked us how long we had been here, how business was and wanted to know people’s names.

"He was really friendly and he asked us to sign a diary he is keeping of people he is meeting along the way.”

Sixty-six-year-old Mallett, who became renowned for his oversized glasses and foam mallet while appearing in The Wide Awake Club, later topped the music chart in 1990 with his cover version of Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini.

He is now an accomplished painter and is painting famous landmarks and scenes during his 4,000-mile trek.

Mallett was heading south along the North-East coast and had stopped at Sunderland and Seaham before arriving in Hartlepool.

After refuelling at The Open Jar, he headed towards Middlesbrough, where he planned to paint The Transporter Bridge, and is aiming to end his quest in London before the end of the month.

It is not the first time either that Mallett has visited Hartlepool.

In December 2001, while appearing as Buttons in Cinderella at Billingham Forum, he was staying in a flat at Hartlepool Marina when he made nationwide headlines after rescuing a woman who had fallen into the freezing water.

He jumped on to a pontoon after his wife raised the alarm and pulled the 38-year-old town woman to safety.

Mr Franks, who had been informed in advance about Mallett’s visit, said: “Someone mentioned the rescue after he had gone. He said he had been to Hartlepool before and knew the Marina but he didn’t mention anything about what had happened.”