PATIENT Colin Wake is still belting out his favourite songs, despite suffering a stroke in January.

Mr Wake, 81, from Stockton, was treated for a stroke at the University Hospital of North Tees. While undergoing intensive speech and physical therapy, Mr Wake spent hours every day on a karaoke app singing as a fun method of speech therapy – the songs of megastar Tom Jones being a particular favourite.

Mr Wake says he sings ‘from the heart’ and it makes him feel ‘magic’. Becoming emotional when he speaks of his love of singing to his wife Ann, Mr Wake is a long-time lover of music, especially going to shows and enjoying karaoke nights.

Physiotherapist James King encourages Mr Wake’s singing as an enjoyable, relaxing way for him to get some extra speech therapy and to have some much-needed fun while in hospital.

Mr King said: “Colin has dysphasia so he struggles to pronounce his words and slurs his speech. Singing and reading poetry helps him to pronounce his words and get in some extra practice alongside the speech and language therapy he receives every day."