SINGER Ricky Valance – the first Welshman to have a solo UK number one single – has died at the age of 84

Valance topped the charts with song 'Tell Laura I Love Her' in 1960 and passed away after a battle with dementia.

The singer was born David Spencer, in Ynysddu, now in Caerphilly county, the eldest of 11 children and was lead soprano in his local church choir as a child.

He joined the air force aged 17 and saw active service in north Africa before returning three years later, the BBC reports.

Valance started performing in clubs in the north of England, before being signed and recording 'Tell Laura I Love Her'.

The song tells the tragic story of a boy called Tommy and his love for a girl called Laura, which was was controversial at the time.

The track banned from airplay by the BBC but went on to be a number one single, selling more than a million copies.

It spent 16 weeks in the chart – three of which were at the number one spot – but was to prove his only big hit in the UK.

Although he enjoyed success with the single, only two of his other songs reached the UK top 50.

Ricky is survived by his wife, Evelyn, and the couple lived in Skegness in Lincolnshire since 2015.

He had previously lived in Spain where he performed on the Costa Blanca.

Fans took to social media to mourn his passing.

One fan tweeted: "Ricky Valance, RIP. Great singer from Wales. His Tell Laura I love her song was tear jerking."

Another wrote: “Another one gone. RIP. Hope Laura is waiting for you.”

Valance was given an award at a St David's Day concert at the Wales Millennium Centre in 2015 for being the first Welshman to have a UK Number One hit.

He released a final single, called Welcome Home, to raise money for the Royal Air Force Museum and RAF Association in 2017.

His agent said he had been diagnosed with dementia and had been in hospital since before the start of lockdown.

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