Beatles fan celebrating 60 years of the band in Stoke

The band performed five times in Stoke over 10 months

A Beatles fanatic is calling for memories of the band's gigs in his home city 60 years ago.

The fab four performed five times in Stoke-on-Trent in 1963, the year they rose to fame.

Author and collector Garry Marsh wants people to share their memories of the early performances for a new booklet.

"It was the breaking of Beatlemania which happened in 1963, and five times in Stoke is pretty good going," he said.

"There've been hundreds and hundreds of books about The Beatles performing in America, Europe, Australia... but, hey, what about Stoke-on-Trent?"

The 69-year-old, who was too young to go to the gigs, wants to gather photos, autographs and stories from people in their 70s and older.

Mr Marsh wants to hear the little stories people might not have told about seeing the Fab Four

"I've had one young lady who said she managed to get back stage because her boyfriend was in a band that was playing with them," he said.

"There are probably people who've got little stories to tell who haven't told them before."

The band performed on 26 January and 19 April at the King's Hall, 3 March and 19 May in the Gaumont, Hanley, and finally on 11 October in Trentham Gardens, said Mr Marsh.

"What's fascinating about the 26th, not only did they start to write Misery backstage at the Kings Hall in Stoke," he said. "But they also performed one song, once only, ever, which was Walk Right In by the Rooftop Singers."

"That's pretty incredible and very unique for a performance by The Beatles anywhere in the world but that happened in Stoke at the Kings Hall," he added.

At the April gig the band supported Helen Shapiro, but by May had taken the headline spot from singer Roy Orbison.

And after the final Trentham Gardens performance they travelled to the London Palladium for their TV debut, which cemented their place in pop history.

"It was like a wave that was growing bigger and bigger in Stoke until they got to Trentham," said Mr Marsh, adding people could get in touch with him through BBC Radio Stoke.