Depp on Jack the Ripper's trail

Johnny Depp in London earlier this month

Actor Johnny Depp has toured the London East End haunts of Jack the Ripper as research for his new film role.

The actor went unrecognised by fans on his two-hour tour, and he was accompanied by Ripper expert and ex-policeman Donald Rumbelow.

The pair rounded off the tour with a stop in The Ten Bells Pub, where one of the Ripper's victims used to enjoy a drink.

In the film From Hell, Depp plays Inspector Frederick Abberline, a drug-addicted police inspector desperately trying to catch the killer who terrorised London in 1888.

He's intelligent, easy to get on with, genuinely nice

Donald Rumbelow

"A few people gave us a second look but probably assumed he was a lookalike," Mr Rumbelow told the News of the World magazine.

He said he was impressed by the depth of the actor's knowledge on the subject.

"He's one of the best-informed people I've guided.

"He's intelligent, easy to get on with, genuinely nice. He'd read my book, which was flattering."

The star visited the site of the Frying Pan pub in Brick Lane and asked to see the doorway where the Ripper wrote a message after one of his murders.

A spokesman for The Ten Bells said of Depp: "He was a really nice bloke, very friendly. He had a couple of halves of lager and talked about the Ripper. He knew his stuff."