Ardent Cliff Richard fan Lorraine Winthorpe-Tyers met her idol at a concert 41 years ago - but failed to see him play.

Then aged 13, Lorraine was given a backstage pass and was lucky enough to have her photo taken with the star.

It was one of the most exciting encounters she has ever had but she did not see the show itself because she had to stay backstage. Lorraine, now 54, made up for missing him in 1961 by seeing Sir Cliff on stage at the Brighton Centre on Friday.

She proved her devotion by travelling 200 miles to the concert from her home in Leicester with fellow fan and friend Louise Phillips, 59.

Lorraine, a senior midwife, brought with her the old photo featuring herself with Sir Cliff, then aged 20, in the hope she could get it signed.

She decided to make the four-hour journey to Brighton after her daughter Helen Gambardella, who lives in Portslade, agreed to queue for tickets.

Lorraine said: "I could have gone to Birmingham to see him, which is nearer to me, but I came here to see Helen at the same time."

Lorraine got backstage access at the 1961 concert after writing to the music correspondent of her local newspaper and asking if she could go with her.

As well as meeting Cliff and The Shadows, she got to meet several other stars of the era.

She said: "It was really exciting. I was a member of the fan club and I am wearing my badge in the photo.

"I did not get to say much to him but at least I have got the photo to remember it by. He was very nice.

"I thought he was an excellent singer. It was obvious he was not going to be here today and gone tomorrow.

"He was going to be here for a long while and he has proved me right."

Lorraine believes Sir Cliff's secret is his ability to move with the times.

She said: "He adapts his music but he still has his own style. He appeals to a lot of different people.

"I think he has aged quite well and still think he is quite dishy."

Unlike the concerts of her youth, Lorraine said at least this time she could hear her idol sing.

She said: "As a teenager, everybody was screaming through all the singing, so you could hardly hear what was being sung.

"Now the audience is older. We sit and listen - and then scream."

During the years, Lorraine has collected most of Sir Cliff's records as well as videos and CDs but has lost count of how many.

Her daughter Helen said: "It was always Cliff Richard when we were growing up.

"I never heard of Elvis Presley until the day he died.

"Luckily my brother and I had our own stereos, so we left her to it."

Meanwhile, posters of Sir Cliff began to disappear from the walls of the Brighton Centre as eager fans took them home as souvenirs.

A spokeswoman for the centre warned there was unlikely to be any left after the show.