ROCK star Richard Ashcroft was arrested in Chippenham on Monday for disorderly behaviour after he burst into a youth centre and offered them £10,000.

The former Verve frontman, pictured, stumbled into The Bridge Centre, in Bath Road, at 8pm and announced to a group of 60 youngsters, who were all under 12, that he was Richard Ashcroft from the band The Verve and he wanted to give them money.

Bemused children looked on as the star, who was looking scruffy and dishevelled, offered them money and volunteered to work at the centre.

But Ashcroft, 35, who was apparently drunk, began shouting and swearing and refused to leave so staff were forced to call the police and report a man claiming to be a rock star.

Ashcroft shot to fame with his band, The Verve, in 1997 when they sold seven million copies of their album Urban Hymns.

When he was arrested, Ashcroft started singing songs to officers from the back seat of the police car.

Inspector Neil Bagnall, of Chippenham police, confessed he had never even heard of him or his band, which is famous for hits like The Drugs Don't Work and Bittersweet Symphony.

He was thought to have been staying at the home of his wife's parents, Ivy House, which is near The Bridge Centre in Bath Road.

The father-of-two and wife, Kate, are often spotted around Chippenham in their black Mercedes 4x4.

Ashcroft was taken to Melksham police station and left to cool off for a couple of hours before being issued with an on-the-spot fine of £80.

A spokesman for Wiltshire County Council, which runs The Bridge Centre, said: "In this instance a man walked into the youth centre in Chippenham unannounced offering to help.

"Our staff were unsure of who he was and were uncomfortable with some of his behaviour.

"As a result the manager called the area team leader to seek advice and was advised to call the police and he was escorted off the premises."