Sir Sean Connery lends support to a student arts festival

A NIGHT porter at St Andrews University was stunned to receive a telephone call from Sir Sean Connery offering support to student organisers of an arts festival later this month.

It is the second year running the former James Bond star – a patron of the festival – called from his home in the Bahamas to chat to unsuspecting students.

Last year, event organiser Philippa Dunn took the call, but this year porter Robert Dibb picked up the phone while doing his nightly rounds of the Students' Association building.

He said: "It was around 5.30pm, so staff had not long left. I picked up the phone and the voice at the other end said 'Hello, my name is Sean Connery, I'm calling about the On The Rocks opening night. Please could you tell Ella I am unable to attend as I'm in the Bahamas'.

"I wasn't really sure if it was him or not, so I just said 'Ok, thank you', and we said goodbye.

"It wasn't until after I told a colleague that remembered him doing the same thing last year that I realised it was really him. It was quite surreal."

Student Ella Wright had written to Sir Sean requesting continued support and was thrilled to hear about the call from the Scot, who holds an honorary degree from St Andrews.

She said: "I had no idea Sir Sean had rung until someone told me a couple of days later that the porter had taken the call.

"I was gutted to have missed it, but we are absolutely delighted to have his continued support.

"It really means a lot to us that he took the time to ring personally to give us his good wishes for the second year running."

On the Rocks, now in its second year, is a showcase of comedy, poetry, literature, design, art, film, dance and music, and will run from 18 to 25 April in St Andrews.

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