A DEVOTED fan who sent stylishly decorated letters to a 60s pop icon has been tracked down by the singing sensation.

The letters and artwork are to appear in entertainer Dave Berry’s book, so he was keen to trace the woman behind them.

They had been sent to Dave from Judy Eggleton, a Nelson schoolgirl who lived in Every Street at the time, between 1964 and 1966.

And after an appeal in the Lancashire Telegraph, Judy, who now lives in Scarborough, has come forward.

The 62-year-old, who left Nelson in 1969 after attending the town’s Grammar School, said: “I'm going to meet up with him on his tour.

"We've spoken on the phone and on the radio but that will be the first time I've seen him in more than 40 years.

“I'm excited because it's like my youth coming back to me.

“I liked a lot of artists, but he was the one I did most of my illustrations for.

"I liked his music, the bluesy sound, and a tall, dark, good looking, young man always interested me!

“He appeared at Nelson Imperial Ballroom when I first saw him and I used to go all over Lancashire to see him.”

Mum-of-two Judy, whose married name is Trafford, said: “I still do mad things now.

"I went to see The Killers with friends from work and I made a card for them.

“Whether they got it I don't know!”

Dave said: “It was great to hear from Judy, it must be 45 years since we last spoke.

“I have always treasured these envelopes and letters, they were really iconic to me.

“Back in those days artists would always write back to their fans, a bit like Facebook and social networking now, so I knew Judy quite well, and she came to see us several times.

“It is great to be back in touch and I have invited her to a concert later in the year and the book launch this month.”

The book charts Dave’s rise from being a teenage apprentice welder in Sheffield in the late 1950s through to his top ten hits just years later.

He is most famous in this country for his 1964 rendition of The Crying Game, but he also had number one hits in Belgium and Holland.

Dave Berry - All There Is To Know, is out on February 22.