Hollywood star Tom Hardy stunned drivers after he pulled up at an Esso garage in the Midlands to fill up with petrol half way through taking his motorbike test.

The actor looked a far cry from his Mad Max character dressed in high-vis jacket with L-plates attached to his bike in Nuneaton, Warks., on Saturday afternoon.

Glasgow Times:

Mum-of-two Joanne Vowles, 48, said she was left "gobsmacked" when she spotted the Batman and Legend star filling up at the garage in the Whitestone area of the town.

Joanne, a teaching assistant, said: "I looked over at this motorcyclist who had just taken his helmet off.

"I thought he looked a bit dishy and then I realised it was Tom Hardy.

"He smiled at me and I asked if it was him and he said 'yes' and the next thing I asked was 'well, what on earth are you doing here then?'

Glasgow Times:

"He is the last person you expect to see in a small town in the Midlands but he told me he was taking his motorbike test.

"I asked him what for and he told me it was a secret.

"He was so humble, a drop dead gorgeous lovely bloke. Nothing was too much for him and he happily posed for photographs with me and my friends.

"We were on our way to the Tom Jones concert at Sherwood Forest so we got to see two Tom's in one day. It absolutely made our weekend.

Glasgow Times:

"My mates were moaning at me for being late - but now they are not because otherwise we would have never got to meet him.

"I still can't get over the fact we met Tom Hardy filling up with petrol on the forecourt of an Esso garage in Nuneaton while taking a motorbike test.

"You would never imagine it - I really hope he passed."

It is understood that the 39-year-old star was talking his test with bike instructor Tim Smith of 'Two Wheels', based in the town.