BUILDER Paul McAleese has gone above and beyond the call of duty to please customers forced to move temporarily from their home - he's taken to singing to them.

Site manager Mr McAleese decided to entertain pensioners who had been put up at the Royal Derwent Hotel at Allensford, near Consett, with a singing performance.

The Tow Law pensioners stayed in the hotel for a night while Mr McAleese's company, Mansell Construction, renewed gas and electrical systems at Baring Court retirement home.

Mr McAleese, stage name Paul Miles, sang old favourites for more than 30 pensioners and colleagues at the hotel.

"It went really well," said a spokesman for Mansell Construction. "At least nobody rushed out with cotton wool in their ears!"