A SINGER who played leading roles in musical shows for more than four decades has died.

Baritone Vincent Vickers was a firm favourite with audiences around the North-East.

He performed at Newcastle's Theatre Royal and Gateshead Empire as well as appearing at Blackpool's North Pier, where a poster of one of his concerts is still on display.

Although Mr Vickers, of Bishop Auckland, made several television and radio appearances, he is mainly known for his long association with Ferryhill Operatic Society, where he formed a singing partnership with soprano Jenny Bellerby in 1947. She died last year.

He eventually took over as the society's musical director and retired in the late Eighties.

His funeral is at St Andrew's Church, Bishop Auckland, tomorrow at 11am. People are invited to make a donation to the operatic society in lieu of flowers. A tape of his favourite songs will be played during the service.

His wife Audrey said: "The service will be a celebration of his music. Ferryhill Operatic Society was his great love and we both had many happy years there. We always worked as a team. He was happy wherever he was as long as he was singing."

Mr Vickers was a miner at Leasingthorne and Chilton Collieries for 22 years and then a postman in Bishop Auckland for 23 years.

With his wife he formed the Auvin Singers and performed concerts in Bishop Auckland's former twin town Bad Oeynhausen, in Germany.

He leaves a son David, daughter-in-law Karen and granddaughter Kate.