A party-animal dad jetted off to Ibiza for 24 hours of raving - with nothing but a change of clothes in a Waitrose carrier bag.

Andy Armstrong, 64,  from Yarm, was challenged by his colleagues to go on a 24 hour night out in Ibiza last year - without paying for a hotel. 

He pulled off the stunt and 12 months on decided to give it another go. 

Andy - who visits the island multiple times a year - recreated his wild 24 hour rave this month.

This time he even managed to bag the guest list for a Fatboy Slim gig. 

Armed with his trusty Waitrose bag - what he calls a "business class upgrade" on last year's Asda bag - Andy boarded a flight out of Newcastle for £62 on Thursday 1 August.

He landed on the party island shortly after 7pm and made his way straight to San Antonio for a pint at the Hotel Abrat - to soak up the sunset before heading to Pikes at 11.30pm for the Fatboy Slim gig.

The raver partied the night away until 3am and with his flight back not for another six hours, Andy headed over to Eden for another two hours of raving.

Andy got the train from Darlington at 11.45am for Newcastle, headed to the airport where he got the 3.20pm flight to Ibiza before raving all night and heading back on the 10.30am flight to Leeds Bradford Airport.Andy got the train from Darlington at 11.45am for Newcastle, headed to the airport where he got the 3.20pm flight to Ibiza before raving all night and heading back on the 10.30am flight to Leeds Bradford Airport. (Image: SWNS)

At 6am, Andy jumped in a taxi back to the airport, set his alarm for a short kip on an airport bench, before boarding his return flight at 10am - this time paying just £20 to fly to Leeds.

After touching down on UK soil, Andy got a train and arrived home just 24 hours after he left - with the whole trip costing less than £200.

Andy, a steelworker, said: "The whole thing was brilliant - the music was great, setting fantastic.

"I saw I could get a flight out of Newcastle for £62 and then one back to Leeds for 24 euros so I thought 'let's go for it!'.

"I had my trusty carrier bag again - I went business class with the Waitrose bag this time.

"On the bag, it actually says 'eat, sleep, re-use, repeat' - so I crossed out 're-use' for 'rave'.

Andy took all of his belongings in a Waitrose bag.Andy took all of his belongings in a Waitrose bag. (Image: SWNS)

"I took my t-shirt and threw it off and swapped into my floral shirt and had a fantastic time at Pikes for Fatboy Slim.

"It's a very intimate gig, no more than a few hundred people, and he was doing his records - not his normal stuff. 

"I had some time before the flight so I went off to Eden - I turned my charm on and asked them not to charge me on the door and I got a free VIP pass to get in.

]Andy with bar staff in Ibiza.Andy with bar staff in Ibiza. (Image: SWNS)

"I just went in and had a good time and I just sat there taking in the atmosphere.

"Then a taxi to airport at 6am, set my alarm, had a kip on the seats and boarded the flight back to Leeds, bus to the city centre, went and bought a new t-shirt to change into and then got the train back home.

"All done in less than 24hrs."

Andy was initially debating going for a few nights but due to the expensive costs involved, decided otherwise.

He said: "I'm on the mailing list for Pikes and I got an email two weeks ago about the Fatboy Slim gig and to sign up for the guest list. 

Andy in Ibiza.Andy in Ibiza. (Image: SWNS)

"I got an email back and I was in - a free ticket.

"Pikes is a very famous venue - Wham did the Club Tropicana video there in 1984 and Freddie Mercury had his 41st party there - so where Fatboy Slim appeared is called Freddie's room.

"So I was looking to go for three or four nights and it was looking quite expensive - so I thought maybe I'm not bothered. It's a free ticket, I'm not losing anything.

"But then I woke up the next morning and remembered I went for 24 hours last year… let's see if I can do it again."

Andy fell in love with the party island back in 1981 whilst on a lad's holiday when he was 21.

He said: "I loved it, I returned a few times later, when married, with my wife and daughters."

But after the tragic loss of his wife five years ago, Andy was unsure whether he'd ever return to Ibiza again.

Andy on the flight to Ibiza.Andy on the flight to Ibiza. (Image: SWNS)

He said: "My eldest daughter, Tiffany, 32, persuaded me to go back with her in July 2018.

"I was unsure, as I had the impression that it would be full of youth, but how wrong I was.

"There was lots of people of a similar age to me, who like me, had a love of music and for the island.

"That first time back, we stayed at Ushuaia, and went to see David Guetta."

Andy then went back to Ibiza again with his second daughter, Ellie, 24, in September 2018.

He said: "I returned a few months later with my other daughter, Ellie, doing the same holiday again - got to treat them equally.


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"And that is how my love affair with Ibiza started, returning many times alone or with friends."

And the raver has no plans to stop anytime soon.

He said: "I'll keep it up as long as I can - It's good fun. 

"I don't do it for the attention or 'fame', I do it because I want to and I find it fun. 

"It's an adventure and life is about that.

"I'm 64 and GOD....Growing Old Disgracefully!"