THE late great Sir Sean Connery found himself shaken and stirred when he spoke exclusively to the Tele while filming in Port Glasgow.

Scotland's most famous movie star and the greatest ever James Bond was at Ferguson's shipyard making a movie with the award winning director Fred Zinnemann.

Following his death at the age of 90 we spoke to our former reporter Allison Hunter about her memories of the day she came face-to-face with the 007 star.

She recalled with fondness the once-in-a-lifetime encounter when she charmed the coolest of characters.

Allison, who now lives in Langbank, said: "It was without doubt my best ever interview and a great moment to look back on.

"I can't think of a bigger star anywhere - and he was Scottish.

"Sean Connery really was a man's man and I remember I was terrified beforehand, but you just get on with it.

"He was late for the interview because he was over in Edinburgh visiting his mum, who was ill at the time.

"I was with another reporter who asked him about films.

"He just glazed over.

"When it was my turn I asked him 'how is your mum?' and it just broke the ice.

"It was obviously what was on his mind.

"I just seemed to ask the right question at the right time and I had a great interview with him.

"I will always remember it."

Legendary Tele photographer John Esplin captured the moment in time with the effortlessly cool Sean stood with glass in hand, and Allison Ewan, as she was then, holding a notepad and pen in hers.

The former Tele reporter said: "The first thing he said when he came in was, 'give me a whisky'."

Hollywood star Sean was at Ferguson's filming a romantic drama called 'Five Days One Summer' about a Scottish doctor holidaying in The Alps in the 1930s, directed by Zinnemann, who won two Oscars.

The partnership for the film, released in 1982, proved a dream match.

Connery would go on to to win an Oscar for best supporting actor in The Untouchables but he was most famous for playing Bond, starring in seven of the spy movies, and the first person to utter the immortal line 'the name's Bond, James Bond.'

During a nine year spell as a Tele reporter Allison covered many significant local stories including the murder of Greenock teenager Elaine Doyle in 1986.

Forty years on from her encounter with the world's most famous spy, Allison says she was saddened at the weekend to hear of his death.

She said: "Sean Connery really was Bond and the best one.

"I grew up going to the cinema with my mum and dad to watch the James Bond films and the early ones were the best.

"I felt really sad when the news came through that he had died.

"It felt like a bit of yourself died as well."