'Macca's frog chorus rescued his career'

But few people realise how the popular children's character, created by Mary Tourtel and launched in the Express back in 1920, actually helped save The Beatles star.

- Peter Dyke

In 1984, the singer was having his own "annus horribilis". Earlier in the year, he and his wife Linda had been arrested in Bridgetown, Barbados, for possessing marijuana. Then a German woman named Erika Hubers launched a paternity suit against him but this was later dismissed by a court.

To add to his woes, a military-style plot to kidnap Linda and hold her to ransom was thwarted by police. Then ex-Wings member Denny Laine sold his warts-and-all story about life with Macca. Headlines screamed the star was "mean, mad and moody" with claims he "smoked too much dope".