Rare Beatles film has screening

The Fab Four in their heyday

Rare home movie footage of the Beatles in Bangor was screened for the first time on Friday.

The previously-unseen film shows the Fab Four visiting the city along with their spiritual guru, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in August 1967.

The movie clips have been released by a man who wishes to keep his identity secret to ward off unwanted interest from dealers or fans.

George Harrison was a fan of the Maharishi

During the group's visit to take part in a course at Bangor's Normal College, the Beatles learned of the death in London of their manager Brian Epstein, who took an overdose of sleeping pills.

The college was thrown into the international spotlight because of Epstein's untimely death - and the Beatles' urgent departure from Bangor.

The trip had been arranged because the Maharishi - then the leader of the Spiritual Regeneration Movement - addressed the Movement's Conference.

Hundreds of screaming fans, waiting on the platform, welcomed the Beatles when their train emerged from the Bangor mountain tunnel.

The music of Ravi Shankar influenced many

Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull as well as the official Beatles biographer, Hunter Davies, were also on the trip to Bangor.

Mr Davies said the trip was last-minute but it didn't stop legions of fans appearing at stations along the route as soon as they heard of the visit.

He said John Lennon had got fed up with signing autographs in the railway carriage and instead, Davies signed a few for him.

Back in 1967, the Beatles, who had given up touring, were number one in the album charts with their critically-acclaimed Sgt Peppers' Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Their classic peace anthem All you Need Is Love was also riding high in the singles charts.

A plaque to commemorate the day the Beatles were in Bangor will be unveiled at the college and archive film clips and photographs will be shown.

The college, which is now part of the University of Wales, has invited fans and those who remember the Beatles visit to join them to mark the occasion.

Bob Morris, Dean of Arts at the University, said: "As one of the most popular pop music groups ever, and a group who have without a doubt, left their mark on popular music culture, the Beatles have fans around the globe who are fascinated by every aspect of their history.

"Many people are aware of the events that took place in Bangor and the university has decided that there should be something to commemorate these events."