How daughter of Elvis, Lisa-Marie Presley, worked in Sussex village fish and chip van

  • Watch report by ITV Meridian's Andy Dickenson

A former pub owner from Sussex has paid tribute to his "fun friend" Lisa-Marie Presley following her death in California.

Justin Scales used to own The Kings Arms pub in Rotherfield back in 2010 and became close friends with the daughter of The King, Elvis Presley when she moved to the village.

Mr Scales revealed he used to spend days sightseeing in London with Lisa-Marie and even travelled to LA with her to celebrate her birthday.

Lisa-Marie moved to the East Sussex village in 2010 and used to visit the pub with friends.

Justin said: "She just wanted to live a normal life in the village, and she was just accepted by everybody.

  • Justin Scales describes Lisa-Marie Presley's 'wicked laugh'

"She wasn't pretentious at all - she would just come in with a hat on and drink a pint of Guinness.

"Being born into the family she was - it seems she just wanted to escape that life and live the village life in Rotherfield - and she did.

"When the media and papers would come around, the villagers would never talk about her.

"They shielded her, and let her be who she wanted to be."

Lisa-Marie Presley asked if she could help serve fish and chips Credit: Justin Scales

Mr Scales released a black and white photo of Lisa-Marie working in the fish and chip van on Friday evening.

He described it as "blown out of proportion" and said she just asked one night if she and her son Ben could join the staff who were serving.

He added: "They got on the back, and I was working, and they served.

"Ben was frying the fish, and Lisa was serving the customers, and the customers didn't have a clue who she was as this was quite early on when she came to the village.

"They didn't have a clue."

  • Friend Justin Scales says Lisa-Marie completely fooled the public she was serving

Justin said: "John Travolta came over once with his wife and we took the van to Lisa's house and they had fish and chips, as she wanted them to see what her life was like now in the UK.

Paying tribute Justin added: "It's tragic. She tragically lost her son Ben two years ago - he took his own life.

"I don't think she was ever the same after that. He was the apple of her eye, and it just broke her.

"We've lost a friend."

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