DANIEL O'Donnell fans have been braving the elements to queue up for days to get their hands on tickets for the Irish crooner's visit to Blackburn.

Reporter Sonja Karlsen went on to the streets of Blackburn to join the singer's loyal supporters for a night camped outside the town's King George's Hall.

It wasn't exactly the best assignment I had ever been given.

'Go and camp on the street for a night with the Daniel O'Donnell fans' my boss said.

Who is this man that sends middle aged women into a frenzy every year when he visits East Lancashire? And just why do these women queue on the streets for days to get their hands on a ticket for his gig?

So at 11pm I reluctantly pushed my way into the middle of the queue and perched myself on a concrete window ledge where I quickly realised I had arrived very unprepared -- and was told I had just missed the potato pie supper made especially by the Blackburn branch of the Daniel O'Donnell Appreciation Society.

The people at the front of the queue were obviously experts in the field of this peculiar kind of behaviour, armed with plastic survivor bags, brollies, deck chairs and flasks of hot coffee.

Me? Well I turned up in a couple of pairs of trousers, a couple of jumpers, a waterproof coat and a notepad.

Much to my embarrassment the town centre streets appeared to get a lot busier about midnight with late night revellers who met us with somewhat mixed reactions.

Some looked in amazement while others just laughed. But most people were genuinely very sincere when they wished us good luck.

At 12.30am the rain lashed down and one old lady nearby resorted to using a KwikSave carrier bag as a waterproof hat. About half an hour later it was the last call from helpful staff at Blakey's offering us the chance to use their toilet. Thankfully I chose not to drink surplus amounts of fluids before my mission and kindly declined the offer.

An hour later and the lights went out in Blakey's -- indicating just how late it was and reminding me how I should have been tucked up in my warm bed instead of clutching on to my other half -- who had kindly accompanied me for the night -- for a bit of warmth.

The cold and wind were really start to get to me now.

Two o'clock and another car full of youths drove past us for about the fifth time -- I don't think they thought we had noticed them shouting insults at us the previous four times.

This was the fourth time in a row Lynn Dewse, from Lower Darwen, had completed such a camp out for tickets.

She was the lady who took me under her wing for the night and like me had been awake for almost 24 hours.

She had mastered the art of queuing and made me feel a bit better when she said it was time to get some sleep before the road sweepers were due at 4.30am.

But how could anyone sleep in such dismal weather without the usual home comforts of a toasty warm duvet and comfy pillows? I didn't even get forty winks.

The road sweepers never arrived. Instead we were treated to tasty chicken leftovers from the life saving staff at nearby Tasty Pizza.

I was actually quite surprised nobody had offered us anything earlier.

By 5am I could take no more of the rain seeping through my trousers and returned home to reality to freshen up before another day at work.

But my task was not over yet. I returned to the spot I had kept warm for so long to discover everyone had disappeared into the cafe across the road for some much needed breakfast and a hot brew.

I eventually left the scene feeling very satisfied at my achievement but unfortunately can still only imagine the delight of those fans when they get to the front of the queue.

Daniel O'Donnell is at King George's Hall on November 2 and 3.