A HEREFORD hotel manager said that he could not contain his excitement when he heard that former England Ashes-winning cricket captain Michael Vaughan was staying over.

Vaughan made a whistle-stop visit to the city as part of a national cycle ride to all of the one-day international grounds that hosted an England versus Australia game as part of the latest NatWest Series.

And, as part of his stay, he stopped at the Green Dragon Hotel in Broad Street.

“The booking was made about a week before and it was pretty exciting,” said Brajesh Kumar, food and beverage manager at the hotel.

“He really enjoyed it and he and his group were really appreciative of the hospitality.

"We gave them a huge buffet of curry, carvery and Italian food all mixed together.

"They were all very kind about the food.

"Michael even said that he wished he could have stayed for one more night.”

Kumar added that he is a big fan of Vaughan’s and even got him to sign a cricket bat and pose for a photograph with him.

“He was a very kind and warm person and didn’t mind signing stuff,” he said. “He was a real gentleman.”

Vaughan said that he loved the buffet and even gave it the thumbs up live on air during the BBC Test Match Special coverage on Saturday.

He told the Hereford Times that he thinks he played cricket in Hereford for Yorkshire when he was younger and was disappointed that he did not have time to look around the city during his stay.

However, he did pay Bromyard Cricket Club a visit on his way down from Edgbaston last Thursday (September 12).

The bike ride was raising funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Cricket Foundation’s Chance to Shine initiative, the latter of which supports Bromyard CC.

And the youngsters at Flaggoners Green had a double reason to be excited because they also saw Andrew Strauss, another former England Ashes-winning cricket captain.

Strauss joined the ride at Edgbaston and went back to Birmingham following his visit to Bromyard.

“There were a lot of kids there, but Strauss had to sit down because he was so knackered,” said Vaughan.

“It’s a nice set-up there, but it’s difficult to have a proper look when you’re knackered.”

Claire Brown, whose children Christopher, seven, and Lillian five, saw the pair at Bromyard, said that they loved the visit.

“Lillian gave Michael Vaughan a water bottle and he gave them a packet of sweets,” said Claire, whose husband James plays for Pencombe CC.

“Christopher plays for the under-nines, and is a bit too young to remember Vaughan, but he was very impressed with Strauss and got some stuff signed.”