THE music of Billy Fury -- one time idol of the 60s and 70s Rock and Roll era -- rang out through Bolton's Albert Halls as if he had never been gone.

Original backing group, Fury's Tornados, along with Stars in Their Eyes lookalike and singalike Colin Gold, joined forces for the fifth year running to tour with their production of Halfway To Paradise, The Billy Fury Story.

Dressed in drape suits, the band opened with Walk Don't Run, along with a medley of other 60s instrumentals, and, after a few moments of uncertainty due to a mis-timed power cut, Colin Gold took to the stage as Billy with

the 1961 hit A Thousand Stars.

The audience were treated to authentic string base for the 1960 hit and Toyota advert theme song, Wondrous Place, followed by snare drum, tambourine and acoustic guitar accompaniment to the 1963 In Summer, which

reached number five in the charts.

An immaculate rendition of Devil or Angel was presented in four-part harmony by members of the band, and was followed by a beautiful medley of Fury hits, played on sythesised piano by Billy's musical director, Charlie Elston. The first half closed with his 1961 number two hit Jealousy.

Another medley of hits opened the second half with bassist, John Chambers and guitarist Chris Raynor taking centre stage.

Songs including Collette, Margot, Halfway to Paradise and Last Night was Made For Love brought memories flooding back before the sensational show drew to a close with Billy's last hit Forget Him.

Billy died on January 28, 1983 but his music will live on in the form of Colin Gold and The Tornados.