News, sport and entertainment from the Bournemouth Echo and Dorset Echo.

Author returns pebbles to Chesil Beach

From the archive, first published Friday 6th Apr 2007.

INTERNATIONAL author Ian McEwan blew up a storm when he admitted to a BBC reporter that the pebbles he scooped up from the Chesil while researching his latest book now took pride of place on his mantelpiece.

Yesterday three American friends of his staying at The Manor hotel West Bexington were righting the wrong and putting the pebbles back.

Hotel proprietor Jenny Simmonds said the three Americans, Douglas Biro, Kelvin Richard and David Weich, were making a news documentary for the American market.

She said: "The story has been in the papers all week after the Radio 4 interview and it snowballed.

"They said they were amazed about how much the hotel was like the one in the book, although apparently the author said it wasn't based on anywhere in particular."

The author's confession sparked calls for him to be prosecuted and fined £2,000 for breaching the byelaw prohibiting removal of the shingle.

His new book is called On Chesil Beach.