Before he was famous: when Bond was an Ugly Sister and a Heswall author encouraged his acting career

So, Mr Bond, we meet again.

At last, the latest Bond movie, No Time to Die, is here and, if the reviews are anything to go by, it's something of a witty, action packed and poignant masterpiece.

Delayed until the pandemic was sufficiently under control to permit a convincing cinema release, it is, of course, the last time the formidable Daniel Craig will play the iconic British super spy. Arguably the best Bond ever, Mr Craig has left Her Majesty's secret service and hung up his Walther PPK for good.

Daniel Craig first stepped into the shoes of 007 agent James Bond for the 2006 movie, Casino Royale.

Born in Chester but raised and educated in Wirral, Daniel cut his acting teeth at Hilbre High School in West Kirby.

His drama teacher was Hilary Green. She lives in Heswall and is now a successful writer of historical fiction often built on powerful themes of love and war. Her most recent novels have been published under the pen name Holly Green. A series of four books explores lives in the workhouses of Victorian Liverpool. The third part of her World War One trilogy, Frontline Nurses, will be published in January next year.

"I won't say I guided Daniel's first steps," she recalls. "It was more a question of standing back in amazement and watching it all happen, because Daniel never needed much instruction. It was all there from the start, the charisma, the command of the stage, the instinctive grasp of character, but I like to think my encouragement helped him along the way.

"After he left school I didn't hear of him for years, but then his name started cropping up in theatre reviews and on TV. The big breakthrough came with the BBC drama Our Friends in the North and after that there was no holding him back.

"I last saw him when he was appearing with Michael Gambon at the Royal Court Theatre in London, in a play by Caryl Churchill called A Number. It was a two-hander requiring immense concentration from both actors and Danny was brilliant, as usual.

"What was truly amazing was that he was making a film called Sylvia during the day, starting at ungodly hours every morning, and still at the top of his game on stage in the evening.

"I went backstage afterwards and he greeted me with a big hug. I asked him to sign my copy of the play and he wrote, 'Thank you for setting me on my way. With much love, Daniel.'

"This photo of him and his fellow Ugly Sister in Cinderella is certainly Bond as you have never seen him before."

That Daniel Craig is a very fine and versatile actor is not in doubt, and now neither is his future as 007 - but at least there is one more movie to enjoy.

You can see the trailer for No Time to Die at the top of this page.

Well, you have to start somewhere...