THE SONGWRITER who penned 'Delilah' and other hits for the likes of Tom Jones and Elvis is returning to his roots for a special concert.

Barry Mason, who lived in Chorley as a child is one of the world's leading songwriters and helped launch the careers of Engelbert Humperdink and Tom Jones among others.

He has travelled the world meeting the stars he wrote for, but his life had more humble beginnings when he lived with his mother Phyllis Hart in Coppull.

He said: "My father died when I was young and my mother became a GI bride in the 1950s."

Barry moved to the US and tried to make his way as a singer in Hollywood. He then returned to England to hook up with songwriting partner Les Reed.

Their first hit was Here It Comes Again by The Fortunes which was a success all over the world.

Now Barry says there is no greater feeling than hearing a song he has written being played by someone else.

He said: "It is fantastic to go to a foreign country and you walk into a bar and they are playing your song. You know you have touched people's lives.

"Pop songs are a common denominator. You could be a plumber or the Queen but you are linked by these little memories of pop songs."

Barry says some of his hits are inspired by happenings in his past. So was Delilah inspired by a girl from Coppull? "No, Delilah was nobody really. It is a song about jealousy.

"But 'The Last Waltz' was inspired by dances that were held around Chorley.

"You would have to be brave at the end of the night and ask a girl for the last dance or you would be walking home on your own!"

The show is at Worden Arts Centre, Leyland ,today (Thursday). Tickets are £14 on the door.