SIR Paul McCartney has revealed that he communicates with George Harrison’s spirit – in a slightly unusual way.

The rock star, 78, says he regularly speaks to his late Beatles bandmate through a tree at the entrance to his home in Peasmarsh.

Sir Paul told American radio presenter Mary Louise Kelly that the tree was given to him by George shortly before his death in 2001 and his spirit now inhabits it.

The Argus: The Beatles, from left to right, Paul McCartney John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.The Beatles, from left to right, Paul McCartney John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.

George died at the age of 58 following a battle with lung cancer, but Sir Paul said he it brings him “comfort” to know his spirit lives on within the giant fir.

He told US broadcaster NPR: “George was very into horticulture, he was a really good gardener.

“He gave me the tree as a present. It’s a big fir tree and it’s by my gate.

“As I was leaving my house, I got out of the car, closed the gate and looked up at the tree and said, ‘Hi, George’.

“There he is, growing strongly. That takes me back to the time when I hitchhiked with him. George and John Lennon still have an ever-present presence.”

The pair first met in 1957 when George saw The Quarrymen, a skiffle rock group founded by John Lennon, performing at Wilson Hall in Liverpool.

Soon after their meeting The Beatles were formed and the rest, as they say, is history.

Their friendship endured following the band’s break up in 1970. Sir Paul said the evergreen tree was a fitting symbol of their everlasting friendship.

He said: “It’s lovely. He gave it to me – I just planted it. But then, as the years go by, every time I look at it I go, ‘that’s the tree George gave me’. George has entered that tree, for me. I hope he’s happy with that.”

In the same interview, Sir Paul spoke of his memories of songwriting partner John Lennon.

He said he often finds himself thinking about John and sometimes even dreams about him. Sir Paul said: “It’s family. We had arguments – but then, I’m reminded, so do families.

“He was a fantastic guy, and I do sometimes think, ‘wow, I sat down all those years and wrote songs with John Lennon’. And then went on stage and appeared all over the world singing them together.’ Similarly with George.”

Sir Paul’s latest album, McCartney III, came out on December 18. He recorded the album spontaneously in nine weeks during lockdown at home in Peasmarsh.