A BEATLES-themed book, compiled by Wirral author Dean Johnson, has sent tremors of excitement rippling across America.

Dean's book The Beatles and Me - a selection of music fans’ chance brushes with the Fab Four – featured as lead story on America’s Fox News this week.

Within hours of him launching the venture on Face Book hundreds of photographs and reminiscences came flooding back from across the globe – the majority from America.

It prompted Dean to publish his book to coincide with the anniversary of the release of the Beatles’ Please Please Me album.

Among the snaps contributed was a series taken by John Taylor in New Orleans in 1975 featuring Paul and Linda McCartney.

The American was interviewed on the Fox news show about his meetings with Paul outside a local recording studio where his band Wings were making an album John said: "It was a once in a lifetime experience."

Musician Dean, who masterminded the book, said: "It's fantastic that as Liverpool celebrates Beatles Week out book is making the news in the US.

"Its success there shows that the popularity of the Beatles is as high as ever and that there are still new ways of looking at their amazing story."

Dean’s own brushes with the Beatles mainly involve Paul McCartney.

"He always seemed to be around in Heswall," he recalled. " He was into horse-riding with Linda and he was often seen out on the Dales."

Almost three-quarters of the Face Book responses came from America.

"Preoccupation with The Beatles is still massive over there," he said.