Take That fan flies from Cyprus for poignant UK gig

Jules Thompson said the band's music helped her to grieve for her father who died during the Covid pandemic

A fan of the band Take That has flown from Cyprus to attend their latest concert in Southampton on Saturday.

Jules Thompson said she took a five-hour flight before sleeping overnight at Gatwick Airport and joining a queue outside St Mary's Stadium on Friday.

She said the group's song One More Word was especially important, following her father's death during the Covid pandemic.

She said: "The airports were shut and I wasn't able to go to his funeral. The lyrics just mean so much to me inside and it was the first time I was able to cry for my dad."

Ms Thompson said her favourite member of the band was Howard Donald

Ms Thompson, who grew up in the Hampshire city, joined a queue of more than a dozen people in deckchairs outside the home of Southampton FC on Friday.

Fans from Bari in southern Italy were also among those waiting in the line.

Ms Thompson said: "[It means] everything. You escape into this little bubble and forget every stress, every worry and they just light up my life."

She said the song One More Word was especially important to her following her father's death