TWO brothers became unlikely TV stars after a touching tale about their late mum led to them appearing in a Guinness advert.

The brewer approached them after an article about David and Gareth Rees' plan to spend their mum Margaret’s inheritance on rugby and beer went viral.

Mrs Rees gave her blessing to the plan for them to use the cash to support Wales in the Six Nations after getting her blessing to do so before she died.

David, who has lived in Stratton St Margaret for 54 years, enjoyed a five-star jet-set experience with Gareth.

The 64-year-old said: “Four weeks ago, Guinness contacted me through a Stratton Facebook page and took Gareth and me down to London, where we had to audition for our own roles.

“Filming it was a superb experience. It all came out of the blue – it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster. People do a double-take and stop me in the street.

"It’s a tribute to mam really, we bring one of her purses with us wherever we go and raise a glass to her at every match,she was a real character.”

Gareth, 65, lives in the Forest of Dean. But David, who was born in Penhill, is still in the town where he grew up before working at the railway for 13 years.

He added: “Swindon is unfairly maligned. Penhill is a marvellous place, I’ve loved growing up here, I love living here and my teachers were great. I’ve enjoyed playing for different rugby clubs and the railway works had a great sense of camaraderie, like rugby does.

“I’m a west country Welshman, my mam was from the Rhondda valley and that’s my ancestral land, but Swindon is my home. She worked in hospitals and catering here before she died in 2013.”

David also worked at Swindon Rugby Club for 20 years and played for the county. His son, brothers and parents all shared a passion for the sport.

He said: “My brother Winford helped set up Royal Wootton Bassett rugby club before he died, and Gareth coached the England under-16s. We’re Welsh, it’s part of the culture, I can’t ever remember not having a ball in my hand and throwing it around.

“When you know you can’t play for your country, you want to be the best supporter you can be.

“We are a small nation and we excel at rugby, it makes us proud. We’re on a roll in the rugby at the moment, so I’m staying positive, no need to cross my fingers.”