Shoppers had a lunchtime surprise when a chart-topping singer decided to play an impromptu gig.

Folk-pop artist Passenger – real name Mike Rosenberg – shot to fame this year with his single Let Her Go topping the charts in 16 countries.

Originally from Brighton and Hove, the singer has been touring the world with his new album.

Now more used to playing sold-out mega-gigs, he decided to go back to his roots by busking on the streets of his home city.

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A camera filmed from a distance as the bearded singer shouldered his guitar in the North Laine and began singing.

Open-mouthed teenage fans soon flocked around the singer while others took pictures and filmed on their mobile phones.

But it was not the first time Passenger had wowed fans with a secret homecoming gig.

In June, hundreds flooded into Brighton’s Pavilion Gardens after he announced that he would be busking.

Hundreds packed into the sun-filled gardens for the impromptu gig, with Rosenberg’s delicate vocals almost drowned out by teenage screams.

Parts of the video for his new single Holes were also filmed in Brighton.

On his website he said: “Like with Let Her Go, I just wanted to do something that felt real and honest so we decided just to film a busking session in my home town of Brighton.

“I’m really pleased with how it turned out.

“Thank you to everyone who was involved in the making of this.

“It was such a fun day.”