DARWEN singer Natasha Lea Jones was thrilled when Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher turned up for one of her gigs.

Natasha was preparing to perform at a charity concert the Blue Cat Cafe in Manchester, supporting Tom Hingley from The Lovers.

But as she was completing her sound check, the former Pooka singer noticed Liam and Mani Mounfield, who was a bass player for the Stone Roses and is now with Primal Scream, walk into the building.

Natasha, 31, of Sudell Road, has been featured in Q Magazine and Mojo, among others, and has played alongside The Levellers, Everything But The Girl and The Tindersticks.

She said: "The gig was for a charity called Shelter. I had just finished sound checking then out of the blue Liam walked in with Mani and few other friends.

"Liam walked up to the stage picked up my guitar and began strumming it. He thrashed out a new tune that he's working on, a real driving number, and then went to sit down and chill out with a beer.

"During my set he was very supportive, with him and Mani cheering me along. I gave him my latest album The Morning After and he gave the CD a big smacker of a kiss. He is so refreshing during this period of Pop Idol and karaoke. These days doing original music can be such a challenge.

"So to do a gig and have Liam and Mani in front of me like that really means a lot to me. The atmosphere was electric."