Music legend Paul Heaton has announced he will be putting money behind the bar of an Ipswich pub to help celebrate his 60th birthday.

The former Beautiful South and Housemartins lead singer had originally planned to do a tour of the UK, but announced on social media that it has been postponed due to "recording delays".

Instead, singer-songwriter Heaton has now said he will be putting money behind the bars of 60 pubs across the UK, including the Duke of York in Ipswich, to celebrate his landmark birthday today, Monday May 9.

In a post on social media Heaton said: "To celebrate my 60th birthday I'd originally intended to do another bicycle tour, visiting and performing at 60 pubs across the UK and Ireland.

"However, due to recording delays caused by the pandemic, I've had to shelve these plans for the time being.

"Instead, I've decided that the next best way to celebrate this coming of age is to handpick 60 pubs across the UK and Ireland and put a given amount of money behind of each one.

"Then, both regulars and yourselves can enjoy a birthday drink on me (until the money runs out, or the bar runs dry!).

"The hope is to bring people together on the day, whilst recognising that many folk who bought my records or showed me support of the years, could do with a wee party, as we come out of Covid and hit potential financial struggles."

Heaton formed the Housemartins in the 1980s, and topped the charts with the hits Happy Hour and Caravan of Love.

He went on to form the Beautiful South, and again topped the charts - the band's most popular single being A Little Time, released in 1990.