I WAS very saddened to hear of the death of Gerry Marsden, a true 1960s icon. Every time I hear his group’s name, I am taken back to the Top Hat nightclub in Spennymoor in the 1960s and it still makes me chuckle.

Gerry and the Pacemakers were top of the bill and they were great.

Later in the show, Gerry asked the audience to stand around the stage and said they would do Old Macdonald’s Farm and that he would need some volunteers.

I was with a few pals and one of the lads was a good six foot four so we pushed him on to the stage.

Gerry’s eyes lit up as he was very short he must have thought great and that he would milk this, and he certainly did.

When he had all the so-called volunteers on stage he told our pal that he would be the duck and when it was his turn in the song he would flap his arms and shout quack quack.

The whole audience was nearly in tears with laughing both at that and Gerry’s face and his taking the mick comments.

I think it was possibly the only time Old Macdonald’s Farm has outshone Ferry Cross The Mersey.

John Rusby, Bishop Auckland.