The owners of a Newent farm shop have told of their delight after meeting Jeremy Clarkson on a visit to the presenter’s own shop.

Dordie and Graham Ketley, who run Middletown Farm Shop in Upleadon, make a point of supporting other local farm shops but had a surprise when visiting Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm Shop in the Cotswolds.

“The farm shop is set up high on the Cotswold Hills with the most glorious views,” said Dordie. “There was a little bit of a queue and a beer tent to refresh the customers as they waited. We chose a selection of presents which were rather fun and got some nice things to eat as well.

“All of a sudden, Jeremy Clarkson arrived surrounded by quite a big film crew. He announced that he had been making chilli jam in his kitchen and had brought some for an impromptu tasting.”

Dordie described meeting the former Top Gear presenter as a “treat”.

“He was utterly charming, a real delight to meet, chatting away to everybody,” she said. “The chilli jam was absolutely delicious and he had grown most of the ingredients on his own.

“Graham and I were already great fans of Jeremy Clarkson but are even more so now.”

Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm has caused controversy, with neighbours complaining that long queues to get into the popular shop had caused traffic delays in the area.

One Chadlington resident said she’d been 20 minutes late for a doctors appointment because of queues on Chipping Norton Road.

Clarkson replied in typical style, suggesting the woman could have used an alternative route.

“There are three roads from Chadlington to the A361. She could have used one of the other two instead of moaning,” he tweeted.

The farm shop is currently closed and will remain so throughout January and February. No reason has been given, but it is only a temporary closure and the shop will reopen in March.

Farm manager Kaleb Cooper has also confirmed that filming for season two of Amazon Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm is underway.