DISGUSTED showgoers are today demanding their money back after walking out of pop star Paul Young's concert claiming it was "dire" and "truly awful".About 30 people left Felixstowe's Spa Pavilion bitterly disappointed and accused the singer of not giving the performance they expected, saying the singing was flats and the songs indistinguishable.

DISGUSTED showgoers are today demanding their money back after walking out of pop star Paul Young's concert claiming it was "dire" and "truly awful".

About 30 people left Felixstowe's Spa Pavilion bitterly disappointed and accused the singer of not giving the performance they expected, saying the singing was flats and the songs indistinguishable.

But the theatre has defended the singer, an 80s icon forever remembered for his number one hit, Wherever I Lay My Hat, and say some of the audience may have been expecting Paul to look and sound like he did 20 years ago.

Pamela Sharp-Popple said she and her husband Graham walked out after about five songs, unable to stand any more.

"I had to leave – I couldn't bear to hear him crucify Wherever I Lay My Hat," said Mrs Sharp-Popple, of Western Avenue, Felixstowe.

"My son bought me his new CD recently and that's what I expected him to sound like. But his singing was awful – we couldn't understand what he was saying.

"He killed a Sinatra song and it was cringing and embarrassing. It was dire. I was home by five past nine and I was very disappointed."

Mrs Sharp-Popple, area organiser for the King George's Fund for Sailors, yesterday went back to the venue to demand her money back, as did Sue Mcrae, of Trimley.

"It was a truly awful performance and I was absolutely disgusted," said Mrs Mcrae, who left the show with her husband Ian after about an hour.

"A lot of people didn't stick it as long as we did. Paul Young's singing was flat and you could not decipher the words, and the band was too loud and flat.

"One hit was indistinguishable from another. We paid £15 each for our tickets – some people paid £17.50 – and I would have got more satisfaction from flushing the money down the toilet."

Spa Pavilion spokesman Leighton Dewar said 690 people had attended the show and around 30 walked out. The venue had received 25 complaints.

The theatre could not refund the ticket money and people were being advised to write to theatre general manager Paul Ryan, who would pass on the complaints to the show's promoters.

"If it was really bad I would have expected more people to have complained. People have very different opinions of what they see and hear," said Mr Dewar.

"People who went backstage afterwards and met him were over the moon.

"He is headlining at the Wembley Arena later in the year and the tour is selling very well from what we hear."

Neither Paul Young or his management company was available for comment.

n Were you at the concert – if so, what did you think? Was Paul Young truly awful? Write to Evening Star Letters, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk