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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Lord McAlpine forced to leave Italian home amid media frenzy | Lord McAlpine forced to leave Italian home amid media frenzy |
| (8 days later) | |
| As reporters descended on his house in southern Italy, a frail-looking, hoarse Lord Alistair McAlpine loaded a suitcase into a car and, declining to answer questions, was driven away. | As reporters descended on his house in southern Italy, a frail-looking, hoarse Lord Alistair McAlpine loaded a suitcase into a car and, declining to answer questions, was driven away. |
| The 70-year-old Tory grandee was forced to take refuge from what was meant to be his refuge – a stunning convent in Puglia that he converted into a plush bed and breakfast in 2003, before packing it with a collection of tribal masks, ethnic ceramics and antique wooden furniture. | The 70-year-old Tory grandee was forced to take refuge from what was meant to be his refuge – a stunning convent in Puglia that he converted into a plush bed and breakfast in 2003, before packing it with a collection of tribal masks, ethnic ceramics and antique wooden furniture. |
| Long known as a collector of everything from books to textiles to police truncheons, McAlpine had settled in the heel of Italy amid olive groves and whitewashed villages as Puglia was beginning to catch the eye of discerning tourists put off by the overexposure and high prices of Tuscany. Helen Mirren is a notable neighbour in what is now jokingly dubbed Trulli-shire, after the distinctive local houses known as trulli. | Long known as a collector of everything from books to textiles to police truncheons, McAlpine had settled in the heel of Italy amid olive groves and whitewashed villages as Puglia was beginning to catch the eye of discerning tourists put off by the overexposure and high prices of Tuscany. Helen Mirren is a notable neighbour in what is now jokingly dubbed Trulli-shire, after the distinctive local houses known as trulli. |
| With his third wife Athena, McAlpine converted the 15th-century Convento di Santa Maria di Costantinopoli in Diso, close to the picturesque seaside village of Castro, installing a pool, filling the cloistered courtyard with his artefacts and world music, and welcoming guests like "long-lost relatives", according to one person who stayed there. | With his third wife Athena, McAlpine converted the 15th-century Convento di Santa Maria di Costantinopoli in Diso, close to the picturesque seaside village of Castro, installing a pool, filling the cloistered courtyard with his artefacts and world music, and welcoming guests like "long-lost relatives", according to one person who stayed there. |
| Known locally as "Il Lord", McAlpine meanwhile made friends in the area and donated to the local religious festival. | Known locally as "Il Lord", McAlpine meanwhile made friends in the area and donated to the local religious festival. |
| "He is extremely nice, well behaved and has integrated well – I am sure these accusations are false," said one local hotelier who did not want to be named. | "He is extremely nice, well behaved and has integrated well – I am sure these accusations are false," said one local hotelier who did not want to be named. |
| Across the eucalyptus-shaded road from the convent, Salvatora Nuzzo was placing flowers on a tomb at the local cemetery as McAlpine drove off. "He has befriended local aristocrats, but he is kind – he also said hello to me when I queued next to him at the baker's," she said. | Across the eucalyptus-shaded road from the convent, Salvatora Nuzzo was placing flowers on a tomb at the local cemetery as McAlpine drove off. "He has befriended local aristocrats, but he is kind – he also said hello to me when I queued next to him at the baker's," she said. |
| Antonio de Santis, a local bar owner, said McAlpine was in the habit of driving a convertible car up the hill to Castro to the cafe by the castle overlooking the Adriatic. This week, a vintage Mercedes was parked outside the convent. | Antonio de Santis, a local bar owner, said McAlpine was in the habit of driving a convertible car up the hill to Castro to the cafe by the castle overlooking the Adriatic. This week, a vintage Mercedes was parked outside the convent. |
| Despite settling in, locals said McAlpine had never mastered Italian and earlier this week "Il Lord" looked every inch the Englishman, wearing a flat cap, colourful tie and a tweed jacket. | Despite settling in, locals said McAlpine had never mastered Italian and earlier this week "Il Lord" looked every inch the Englishman, wearing a flat cap, colourful tie and a tweed jacket. |
| • This article was amended on 9 November 2012. Puglia is in the heel, not the toe, of Italy. | • This article was amended on 9 November 2012. Puglia is in the heel, not the toe, of Italy. |
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