Some people go through a lot for their idols, including travelling long distances and getting up at the crack of dawn.

But many of the 100 people who turned up for Ed Sheeran’s intimate gig at the Steamboat Tavern yesterday had come from within Suffolk.

For father and son duo Mark and Sam Taylor it was just a quick journey down the A12 from Lowestoft.

The gig’s location was a secret, with those attending only told at 4pm on Sunday.

And both Mark, 52, and Sam, 17, were impressed it hadn’t leaked out.

Sam said: “It is a really good secret. I’m really surprised at it,” with Mark adding: “I think everybody thought let’s not tell anybody.”

The pair also said they expected more people to be there when they arrived.

Sam said: “We got up at six and I’m not usually up until 12 in the afternoon!”

“We got here at eight o’clock and thought they’d be queuing down the road and round the corner,” Mark added.

“Sam’s been to several gigs, I’ve been to hundreds over the years but this is the first gig we’ve been to together.”

While chatting to fans outside the pub it was understandable that many people asked Sheeran for an autograph.

But one lady, who was also first in the queue, wanted more than just a scrawl on a bit of paper.

“I want him to sign my arm so I can have it tattooed,” said Amy Gunther.

The 22-year-old had travelled down from London the night before with friend Grace Aldis, but still rose early to make sure she grabbed a prime spot in the queue.

“I’ve been here since half past six,” she said. “We were determined to be the first in the queue.

“I found out about the gig on Thursday. I was just chilling on the computer at work and it just flashed up on Facebook so I did it and then it came through.

“I put my confirmation number into See Tickets (the company taking bookings for the gig) to make sure it was genuine.”

Although he first started performing at the pub in his teenage days Sheeran’s schedule has meant he hasn’t been back to the Steamboat for several years.

But yesterday he was back at one of the places where it all started.

And that made it a special occasion not just for the fans but also for landlady Val Bint and her staff.

She said: “We’re chuffed that he’s chosen to come here. He’s performed here several times when he was younger.

“I haven’t seen him for three years but I hear he’s still the same. He’s a really nice lad.

“We’ll just be in there enjoying it with the rest of the crowd.”

Click here to see what Ed had to say about being back in Ipswich and here to see a video and gallery of his visit.