Why George Harrison begged one young fan to stop throwing Jelly Babies at The Beatles



Whether it's underwear from swooning fans or bottles from angry crowds, rock bands have long had to dodge items thrown onstage by the audience.

But Beatle George Harrison found it all a bit too much to bear when he was hit in the eye by a boiled sweet.

The band's fear of being injured by the 'dangerous' Jelly Babies that were pelted at them has emerged in a letter which spent the last 46 years in a shoebox.



'Scared': The Beatles did not like having sweets thrown at them on stage, according to a letter to a fan from George Harrison, right



Fans used to bombard the Fab Four with the confectionery after George said in an interview how he liked Jelly Babies.



But the sentiment turned a little sour when the late guitarist was struck in the eye by a flying sweet, prompting the band to then try and dodge them during gigs.



George also revealed how he, Paul and John tried to get Ringo to sing and dance at the front of the stage - apparently he knew all the moves - but he was 'a bit scared'.

The revelations are made in a letter from George to superfan Lynn Smith, who was aged 15 at the time.

Plea: The letter to Lynn Smith, in which George asks her not to throw confectionery at gigs, has spent 46 years in a shoebox



The teenager was 'ecstatic' when he replied to her letter, answering a string of questions including how the band met and whether they all owned leather overcoats.

In the post script, George wrote of his hatred for Jelly Babies.

He said: 'We don't like Jelly Babies, or Fruit Gums for that matter, so think how we feel standing on stage trying to dodge the stuff, before you throw some more at us.



'Couldn't you eat them yourself, besides it is dangerous. I was hit in the eye once with a boiled sweet, and it's not funny!'



'Dangerous': Jelly Babies



Written in Harrison's own hand, the 1963 letter that has just come to light is from the period just before The Beatles' fame hit its peak.



He confesses that on the track I'll Get You, he sings the wrong lyrics 'if you listen closely'.



And he wrote about Ringo's fear of singing: 'The general public always seems to think that John, Paul and I shove Ringo at the back, don't let him sing, smile, or do anything, which is not very true, as we are always telling him to sing...we even suggested him singing and dancing (as he can do all the dances) at the front of the stage...but Ringo wouldn't do it, as I think he was a bit scared.'



Lynn said: 'George was my favourite Beatle and my friends and I would find out what theatres they were playing at and write to them there.

'I was ecstatic when he wrote back. I must have asked him some questions that were very important to me then - like whether they all had leather overcoats.



'My friends and I would also find out when The Beatles were at the BBC recording and we would wait outside for them. We also saw them play.



'This letter I received was after I wrote to him when they played in Bournemouth.



'He said that they didn't like Jelly Babies being thrown at them, but everyone thought they did.



'I had not seen that letter for 30 years but a few months ago I got it out from a box in the attic and it brought back lots of memories.'



Jamie Bowman, from the Beatles Story visitor attraction in Liverpool, said: 'George said in one interview that he liked Jelly Babies.



Sweet tooth: Fans would lob Jelly Babies at the group after George said in an interview that he liked them



'So fans used to throw them at him and send boxes and boxes in the post.



'But when they went to America they didn't have Jelly Babies as we know them - all their jelly beans were hard.



'Here at the Beatles Story on George's birthday we put boxes of Jelly Babies out for the visitors.'



Liz Merry, from Woolley and Wallace auctioneers in Salisbury, Wilts, is selling the letter that is estimated to go for up to £800.



She said: 'This is a wonderful, personal letter during the early fame of The Beatles and it shows how George Harrison appreciated his fans.



'He must have received many similar letters but he has taken time out to reply to all the sender's questions.



'He reveals that he sang the wrong words on one track and that they really didn't like sweets being thrown at them.



'He also explains that contrary to public opinion the band did try to persuade Ringo to sing and dance while one of them played the drums. But he said he thought Ringo was too scared.



'This wonderfully touching letter is a highly desirable piece of memorabilia and there will be lots of collectors wanting to get their hands on it.'



The sale takes place on June 17.