Crowd leaves Aled Jones walking in the air

TV and radio star Aled Jones praised Dudley audiences as among the best in country for their warm and friendly reception saying it was "always a joy" to visit the town.

Speaking during the interval at a guest performance with Kingswinford's Gentleman Songsters at Dudley Concert Hall, the star said he had fond memories of the town.

The hall was packed to capacity for the event on Saturday with fans queuing up for more than an hour before the event started.

"I first visited Dudley when we filmed a Songs of Praise at the Black Country Living Museum," he said. "It was a marvellous experience which I will never forget. The people in the town are wonderful and always so fri-endly. It is always a joy to come back."

And even after performing since he was a child, the star admitted he still had nerves before taking to the stage. "When you get the reception like the one here in Dudley any nerves just fade away instantly. It really is the reason why people perform."

Aled said he had been delighted to accept the Gentleman Songsters' offer to perform at their autumn concert. "They are amazing performers and I have really enjoyed being on the stage with them."

The star took time out during the interval to have his picture taken with the musicians and to sign a large pile of concert programmes for fans.

"Sometimes I wonder how I fit it all in. It is because I love it. I love performing and meeting people like those in Dudley. It is just wonderful."

The singer was so moved by the Dudley audience's response he sang an extra unscheduled number, Every Time We Say Goodbye, as a thank-you to the crowd. And he took time to sign autographs for fans backstage despite having to travel back to London for his Sunday morning radio show.

The event started with performances by the Gentleman Songsters and Black Country soprano Annie Hodkinson before Aled took to the stage for the first time at around 8.15pm.

He told the crowd it was good to be back in Dudley and raised a cheer in the hall when he mentioned West Bromwich Albion's 3-2 defeat of Arsenal earlier in the day. Cash raised from the event will be donated to the Georgina Ward at Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital, the town's St Thomas's Community Network and the Rainbow Breast Reconstruction Group.