Sir Paul McCartney was mobbed by fervent fans at a record signing in London yesterday (December 21).

The Beatle was at the flagship HMV Store on Oxford Street to promote his new album 'Electric Arguments' under his guise The Fireman.

However, when the 66-year-old's car pulled up outside he was besieged by fans eager to get his autograph in a scene reminiscent of The Beatles in the sixties.

Once security bundled him inside McCartney explained why he still enjoys record signings, saying: "The main thing is to actually meet the people who buy your records and you get some amazing stories. You're doing a signing and then someone says 'I have just flown in from New York'. She drove from Philadelphia. That is why I do it."

Speaking about making the album with producer Youth, he admitted that the pair just made things up as the went along.

He told the Press Association: "This one started to have lyrics and vocals and therefore it developed more as an album. It became more like one of my albums so this is why I'm doing a bit of promotion on this. It's great fun to make. We just made it up as we went along.

"We went in with no songs, no words, nothing, and came out later that day with a whole track. It was a buzz to work so fast. We did about 13 tracks in 13 days. There was no time to think, which is kind of nice."

(by Scott Colothan)