Keith Richards and Sir Paul McCartney have written a song together.

Legendary Rolling Stones guitarist Keith said the collaboration came about after he met his old 60s chart rival, former Beatle Paul, on holiday.

He wrote in his biography 'Life': "We were really pleased to see each other. We fell straight in talking about the past, talking about songwriting. He told me because he was left-handed he and John Lennon could play the guitars like mirrors opposite each other, watching each other's hands. So we started playing like that.

"We started composing a song together, a McCartney/Richards number whose lyrics were pinned to my wall for many weeks."

67-year-old Keith explained the pair almost performed together at the American Super Bowl after he begged Paul to play Beatles song 'Please Please Me', but the singer and songwriter refused, saying it would take too long to plan properly.

Despite a perceived rivalry between their two groups, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones did work together, with Paul and bandmate John Lennon, providing backing vocals to the Stones' 1967 single 'We Love You'. John also appears on film 'The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus' playing as part of a supergroup, which was made by the band in 1968.

Meanwhile Keith will release a new compilation of recordings from his solo career. 'Vintage Vinos' will feature remastered tracks from the out of-print albums 'Talk is Cheap', 'Live at the Hollywood Palladium' and 'Main Offender'. The album will also feature a bonus track, 'Hurricane', a 2003 song which was only available to buy in limited quantities at some venues during the Rolling Stones' 2005 US tour. This CD was issued in co-operation with the Red Cross, and all profits were donated to the Hurricane Katrina relief fund.

'Vintage Vinos' will be released on November 2nd.