A California-based film actress has given evidence in defence of her ex-partner, folk singer Roy Harper, who is facing a sex trial at Worcester Crown Court.

Verna Gindoff spoke via video link from Santa Barbara, painting a picture of the busy, hot summer of 1976, when their Herefordshire farmhouse home was visited by some of the most famous names in music, including Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant.

Ronnie Lane, who was in the Small Faces and later The Faces, and guitarist Andy Roberts were among other visitors to The Vauld, the farmhouse where Mrs Gindoff – then known by her maiden name of Harvey – lived with Harper in Marden, Herefordshire, from 1975.

Mrs Gindoff, now 62, a friend of famous actress Jane Seymour, agreed under questioning that the summer of 1976 was “quite chaotic”, with entertainers coming and going, Harper on tour in the USA and the couple doing up their farmhouse.

She said she remembered both of the girls who had made allegations against her former partner and had never witnessed anything that gave her cause for concern.

When asked what she thought when she learned of the allegations against Harper, with whom she has a son named Ben, she replied: “I was really shocked.”

Harper denies three charges of indecent assault, four of indecency with a child and two of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, all involving the same girl, between August 31 1975 and January 1 1977.

The girl was then aged 11 or 12 and the offences are alleged to have happened when he lived at The Vauld.

Harper, 73, now of Rossmore, near Clonakilty (correct), Co Cork, also denies one charge of indecently assaulting a girl, then aged 16, in Hereford between May 23 1980 and January 1 1981.

The younger girl has claimed in court that Harper’s private parts were blue in colour.

And Adrian Waterman QC, defending, said he needed to raise with Mrs Gindoff the “delicate” question of whether this was true.

But Mrs Gindoff replied: “Not that I recollect – and I am sure I would have known that.”

Later adding: "It seemed pretty normal to me."

In other evidence given to the court, a friend of more than 40 years, freelance photographer Colin Curwood (correct), who first met Harper at Abbey Road recording studios in 1969, described him as “probably the most intelligent, well read, thoughtful person I’ve ever met”.

Mr Curwood added he was a “man of great humanity” and he had no concerns about Harper, who lived for a time with him, his wife and son and daughter during the early 1990s.

Another friend, retired head teacher Christopher Goodwin, who ran Beverley Grammar School in East Riding, said he had “no qualms” about the musician’s appropriateness with any of his four children, who are now grown up.

Mr Goodwin, who wrote a biography with Harper, also said his friend was a “brilliant musician, poet and raconteur”.

The hearing continues.