Coronation Street’s Simon Gregson is taken to his car after drunk Aintree left

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Soap star Simon Gregson, aka Steve McDonald, returned to collect his BMW days after police put him in the back of their van after an altercation at a Toby Carvery pub across from Aintree

Embarrassed Simon Gregson snagged a ride to pick up his car after police questioned him at a drunken Aintree bust.

The Coronation Street star was accosted in the back of a police van after a row at a Toby Carvery pub opposite Grand National racecourse.

The Steve McDonald actor was enjoying the hospitality of fellow stars and was photographed sipping Guinness in one of the luxury suites at the famous golf course earlier in the day.

The actor, who earns £150,000 a year on the ITV show, collected his BMW days after the races.

Wearing a red jacket and jeans, he walked to the parking lot with an orange baseball cap covering most of his face.

Police confirmed they were investigating a reported “argument” between two men at The Rocking Horse on Friday night.

It came days after it was revealed the 47-year-old was reportedly asked to leave a club when co-star Alexandra Mardell left.

It was alleged that he removed his shirt, danced on furniture and verbally abused staff.

Speaking about the race day spat, a source told the Mirror: “There was a meltdown and bouncers threw him out – they pinned him to the ground before the police arrived.

“He was taken to the police van and talked to for a while. It was all very chaotic.”

Hours earlier, the well-loved star happily posed for photos with Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall, 40, and her ex-England rugby captain Mike, 43, during his day at the races

Gregson also looked delighted as he rubbed shoulders with ex-footballer Dion Dublin, 52, comedian Jason Manford, 40, and Olympic heptathlete Kelly Sotherton, 45.

But the smiles were gone when officers were called into the pub, which is offering all-day roasts with unlimited sides for £7.49.

A police spokesman said: “We can confirm that Merseyside Police were present at the Rocking Horse pub on Grand National Avenue in Aintree.

“Around 9.20pm we received a report of two men involved in an altercation in the pub. No injuries were reported and the victim declined to make a formal complaint to the police. The investigations are ongoing.”

Simon has been contacted for comment.

He has played the lovable taxi boss Steve for three decades and has won a number of awards.

He has previously revealed how the pressure of being catapulted to stardom as a teenager on the ITV soap opera led him to turn to alcohol and drugs.

He said benders in the ’90s pissed him off, he routinely showed up late for filming — or didn’t show up at all.

Speaking to the Mirror in 2014, he recalled: “Me and my mates would get dangerously drunk. We were really stupid. I’ve gone totally wild. I would pay for everyone to stay in hotel suites.

“I would have a bottle of Scotch at 4 or 5 in the morning after the pub. I spent my entire salary on going out or on cars.

“Sometimes I was two hours late for work. Other times I wasn’t there at all. I didn’t take it seriously and didn’t want to be there.

“I hated being famous. I’m not proud of my behavior but being drunk was a way of forgetting.”

He added: “Cocaine use went hand in hand with alcohol abuse. I started smoking marijuana first.”

“The reality wasn’t too big, so this alternate reality with the use of substances was a better place. In the beginning it was an experiment and I could afford it.”