Pub landlord helping to bring Ed Sheeran to City of Ipswich

Damon Jeffery, the landlord of the Thomas Wolsey in St Peter's Street, received the invitation from Teresa Harding, the City of Ipswich mayor in Queensland, when she visited last week.

The Thomas Wolsey was temporarily renamed the Old Phone in honour of one of Sheeran's songs over the summer - and he performed a surprise gig there in May.

Damon Jeffery and City of Ipswich mayor Teresa Harding(Image: Damon Jeffries)

Mr Jefferies, who is a dual Australian-British national, was born not far from Ipswich in Queensland and said he had some leads on how to get the invitation to the Shape of You singer.

He said: "I got a message from the mayor of Ipswich, Teresa Harding, saying that she was coming over and that she wanted to come here and she was just so cool.

The invitation from the City of Ipswich mayor(Image: Newsquest)

"We spoke a little about Australia, I left when I was about 12 or 13 so it was a bit of a catch-up.

"She came over with her husband on her own steam, so it wasn't paid for by the City of Ipswich.

"She said that they would love to welcome Ed over there, he is huge in Australia and is doing a few gigs over there in January.

Ed Sheeran performed at the Thomas Wolsey pub when it was renamed the Old Phone in May(Image: Shikhar Talwar)

"I said that I don't have his number personally but he is such a nice guy that I am sure he will pop over if he can - he is like that.

"We have a few leads, I messaged someone on Sunday who said they had just spoken to Ed and he will be in contact with ASAP. So that is where we are so far."

Mrs Harding's visit to Ipswich - the one in Suffolk, not the one near Brisbane in Queensland - was featured in a news story by Channel 9, an Australian news broadcaster.