Dolly Parton celebrated by DUP MP Jim Shannon in Parliament

I Will Always Love You was written by Dolly Parton in 1973 for her 13th solo studio album Jolene

Half a century after Dolly Parton released I Will Always Love You, a Northern Ireland MP is urging Parliament to wish the country star joy and happiness.

Jim Shannon from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has submitted an early day motion (EDM) to mark the 50th anniversary of the track.

The motion notes the sentiment behind the song "and what it means to so many", including Mr Shannon's wife.

It has attracted 32 supporters so far.

EDMs are used to put on record the views of individual MPs or to draw attention to specific events or campaigns.

Very few are ever debated - but Mr Shannon and his co-signatories are demonstrating they're thinking about Parton each step of the way.

The Strangford MP wished the Tennessee-born singer "continued success as she entertains and encourages so many through her music and inspirational character".

The other sponsors of the bill - the first six MPs to sign it - are Olivia Blake, Cat Smith and Nadia Whittome of Labour, Tim Farron of the Liberal Democrats and Kirsten Oswald of the SNP.

Jim Shannon has been the MP for Strangford since 2010

I Will Always Love You was originally written and recorded by Parton in 1973 as a farewell to her business partner and mentor Porter Wagoner.

It featured on her 13th solo studio album Jolene.

Whitney Houston's famous cover of the song for the 1992 film The Bodyguard was bought by more than 20 million people worldwide.

It was awarded Record of the Year at the 1994 Grammy Awards and holds the Guinness World Record for the best-selling single by a female artist in the US.