Dorset: Taxi-driving Elvis tribute artist is raising money for Comic Relief

Tony Mclennan spent time in care as a child and he wants to raise money for children in the UK

A taxi driver has been performing as Elvis Presley while in his cab to raise money for charity.

Tony Mclennan, from Poole, has been driving for Ferndown Taxis for five years and last year he also began performing as an Elvis tribute artist.

Inspired by his childhood in care and the war in Ukraine, he decided to raise money for Comic Relief by combining his passions.

The 59-year-old said he "needed to do something" to help people.

Mr Mclennan dons the costume and begins singing to passengers at 06:00 GMT when he starts his shift and continues until he gets home 10 hours later.

Mr Mclennan is performing as Elvis Presley while in his cab to raise money for Comic Relief

He said he gets a lot of surprised looks from people while he is out driving.

"I get wisecracks about Elvis leaving the building when I finish putting petrol in my car," he said.

"I find it all really funny. That's what Comic Relief is all about, making people laugh and raising money for a good cause.

"I've loved Elvis since I was a child after my mum introduced me to his music.

"I believe this is something Elvis would have done, he was a generous guy."

Mr Mclennan said he performs as Elvis from the early 1970s "when he was still in his prime".

Mr Mclennan believes his fundraising is something that Elvis would have done

Mr Mclennan said his childhood was one of the things that inspired him to fundraise.

He said: "I grew up in a children's home for much of my life, through no fault of my mum.

"I'd like to do something for those children who don't have much and I don't want to be sat on my backside not doing anything while people are struggling."

Mr Mclennan's wife is also from Ukraine, and the couple lived there when they first met.

He said his wife is very supportive of his fundraising, but initially thought he was "having a mid-life crisis".

He added that eventually his ambition is to put on shows for people in care homes.