Guitar legend Slash of Guns N' Roses fame lived up to his bad boy image after having mashed potato thrown in his face this afternoon.

Tubes, from Sky One's Soccer AM show, smashed Slash during an interview ahead of the official opening of GuitarGuitar in Epsom, the largest guitar shop in the UK.

The superstar did not see the joke and stormed off after having Tubes unceremoniously booted out of the building.

But with hordes of fans eagerly awaiting their chance to meet their idol face to face, Slash returned for the exclusive signing with 200 lucky competition winners and to ‘slash the sash’ at the shop's official opening.

But the dozen assembled journalists there to cover the opening were held in a side room during the ceremony, well away from where he was cutting the ribbon.

A seething Slash refused to be interviewed by the BBC or talk to any other media organisations.

However, he did return to sign items brought in by his fans and was as polite as could be expected.

Robert Chevasco, 35, from Gillingham, who was first in line this afternoon said: "We got here about midday to get at the front of the queue.

"If you’re at the back you might not get a chance to meet him.

"I’m a huge Slash fan and have been playing guitar since the age of 11.

"I play with my mate in a Guns N' Roses tribute band called Guns vs. Roses and I am Slash so I put the wig and top hat on."

Kelly O’Donnell, 39, made the trip with her 4-year-old son George, both massive fans of Slash.

She said: "We won the competition and I was ecstatic.

"I have been a fan since I was a teenager and my son is now too, so he’s the next generation.

"He already plays the drums and he’s a massive Guns N' Roses fan and he’s into Led Zeppelin."

Another fan went so far as to have his calf tattooed with the artwork from Guns N' Roses debut album, Appetite for Destruction.

Jimi Chialoufas, 21, said: "I started listening to Guns N' Roses when I was about 14.

"I found some records in the attic and I have been obsessed ever since."

Born, Saul ‘Slash’ Hudson in Hampstead, London, Slash moved to Los Angeles when he was five where he discovered a passion for rock music throughout his teens and began learning the guitar.

But it wasn’t until 1985 that he found success with rock group Guns N' Roses after front man Axl Rose asked him to join as lead guitarist.

Enjoying worldwide success with hits Sweet Child of Mine and November Rain, the group later disbanded amid legal wrangles and bitter personal feuds.

Slash went on to front side project Slash’s Snakepit and form super group Velvet Revolver featuring former Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland, Guns N' Roses guitarist, Duff McKagen, and drummer Matt Sorum.

After years of drug and alcohol abuse living a hedonistic rock and roll lifestyle, in 2001 Slash was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and given just six days to live, but miraculously survived.

He has now been clean and sober since 2006.

Today Slash has a stellar solo career releasing his debut solo album, Slash, in 2010 and has worked with many artists including pop superstar Rhianna.

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