Congratulations as Cliff fans finally get tickets

Cliff Richard and The Shadows will tour together for the last time next year and fans were out in force at the weekend to get their hands on the best tickets.

Cliff first recorded and performed with The Shadows in 1959 – and in 2009, exactly 50 years later, he and the group, including Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett will hit the road again for the last time, performing at Birmingham's NIA on October 3 and 4.

It is 20 years since the group last performed in concert and fans queueing in the cold on Saturday night were thrilled at the thought of seeing them back together again.

Marie Richards, aged 60, a mother of three from Quinton who runs the Birmingham branch of the Cliff Richard fan club, said: "It was a long cold night but he is worth every minute of it. We all have had a lot of fun in the queues; we all know each other from all the years of following Cliff and there are some really strong friendships amongst us."

Alison Hadley, aged 33, from Palfrey in Walsall, works for security at the NIA and had been outside the venue since 11.30am on Saturday for tickets to go on sale yesterday."I'm really excited about the tour, I have never seen Cliff play with The Shadows. I have been a Cliff fan for years and have met him three times now. I even won a kiss and hug off him in a competition." Matthew Moore, aged 30, of Rubery in Birmingham, used to spend his holidays in the car park at the NIA, camping out with his Cliff-mad mum. He said: "My mum went out to a birthday party so I had to come and queue on her behalf. I started at 4.30am."

Languages teacher and mother-of-four Wendy Harrison, aged 60, of Polesworth near Tamworth, said: "I was 10 when I first saw Cliff and the love affair has gone on since then. He's an amazing man."

Tickets for October 3 are sold out but tickets for October 4 were still available this morning.

They are priced at £60 and £55. Contact The Ticket Factory on 0844 33 88 000 or visit www.theticketfactory.com.