IF this is really the very last tour by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, then the North-East saw the pensioners hop out in style.

Cars and coaches poured into the parking area around the Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, tonight, as a capacity audience of 9,600 decided to move it in the direction of a band with more UK hits than anyone but Elvis.

A pink-jacketed Cliff, who will be 69 on Wednesday, occasionally seemed out of puff, but he still managed to berate the X-Factor for not giving its stars enough support.

To illustrate his point, he sang Living Doll - his first number one at the fifth attempt.

Newcastle-born Hank Marvin, 68 in a fortnight, acts as jester and admits, "it's wonderful to be back, but I keep getting lost."

Fellow guitarist and Chester-le-Street resident, Bruce Welch cheekily refers to this being The Shadows' second final tour and says, "it's five-and-a-half-years since we left."

The Shads, without Cliff, revived hits like Wonderful Land and Apache with 69-year-old Brian Bennett on drums.

Then it is back to the old routine, with Summer Holiday among the many hits on show.