FOUR-YEAR-OLD Laura Parkinson met the man who created the song she was named after.

In 1979, rock and roll star Ricky Valance came to the Heatherton Grange Hotel in Bradford-on-Tone.

Laura’s dad jumped at the chance to meet the ‘Tell Laura I Love Her’ singer, who four years earlier had inspired his daughter’s name after hearing the 60s hit song.

“Mr Valance was quite emotional over it,” said Terry Parkinson, Laura’s dad.

“He seemed to think it was really great somebody had remembered him after all this time.

“You could not wish to meet a nicer person. It was like greeting someone in the street.”

Mr Valance kindly signed a copy of his record for young Laura, who was also there with her mum Jackie, and three-year-old brother Arran.