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Hundreds enjoy impromptu Ed Sheeran waterfront gig

Alice Cunninghamand
Zoie O'Brien,in Ipswich
News imageShaun Whitmore/BBC A man with shaved red hair wearing a white T-shirt plays an acoustic guitar and sings into a microphone. There is a crowd of people around him.Shaun Whitmore/BBC
Ed Sheeran sang six songs at Ipswich Waterfront

Hundreds of people have enjoyed an impromptu morning gig from Ed Sheeran at Ipswich Waterfront.

Sheeran teased on Thursday night he would be at the waterfront at 09:00 BST, but gave no more details.

The crowds were out early getting their spot around the university before the star arrived just before 09:30 BST.

Delighting the fans with Thinking Out Loud, The A Team and other hits, Sheeran finished his short set and told the crowd: "I hope you have a fabulous summer and I'm looking forward to the Premier League next season."

News imageAlice Cunningham/BBC A man with red hair and a white T-shirt walks along a road with a guitar strapped around his torso. Crowds of people take photos of him from the sides of the road.Alice Cunningham/BBC
Sheeran appeared from the Salthouse Harbour Hotel at about 09:30

He added: "Thank you to the kids that are missing school today... apologies to the parents but thanks for bringing them along – this is fun.

"I heard some people are doing GCSEs today. Sorry, I wasn't aware of that.

"I've got back from nine months in America and I am so happy to be back in Suffolk."

Before he played, music teacher Lianne Kaye, 30, from Chelmsford, warmed up the crowds and even got to sing The A Team with Sheeran himself.

She said she had had to fly back from holiday in Spain in order to be there.

News imageShaun Whitmore/BBC A woman with long blonde hair stands in front of a marina. She wears a black top with some floral patterns on it. She has silver chains around her neck.Shaun Whitmore/BBC
Music teacher Lianne Kaye was picked to warm up the crowd
News imageZoie O'Brien/BBC A woman with long blonde hair wearing a black top and black jeans plays a guitar as she sings into a microphone. A crowd of people watch her, with some of them taking photos.Zoie O'Brien/BBC
Lianne Kaye had to fly back from Malaga to get to the gig

"I flew to Malaga on Tuesday and came back last night. [I had] two hours sleep," she said.

"The flight was delayed – of course it was – so [it was] all a bit chaotic, but I wasn't going to miss it for the world so I'm so glad that I did it."

Kaye, who previously lived in Holbrook, near Ipswich, said there was a "friendly atmosphere", and duetting with Sheeran felt "natural" thanks to his down to earth personality.

"It hasn't sunk in at all," she added.

News imageShaun Whitmore/BBC A man with shaved red hair wearing a white T-shirt plays an acoustic guitar and sings into a microphone. There is a crowd of people around him. Some buildings are in the distance as well as boats on a marina.Shaun Whitmore/BBC
Sheeran played songs including Thinking Out Loud, Shivers, Photograph and Perfect
News imageZoie O'Brien/BBC A boy holds an acoustic guitar. He wears a dark cap, a green coat, a pink Ipswich Town shirt and shorts.Zoie O'Brien/BBC
Nine-year-old Felix took his guitar along to the gig with him

The gig was organised as part of a promotion for an amplifier manufacturer.

Sheeran delighted young fan Felix, nine, who had taken his own guitar along, by giving him a new amplifier, and the youngster said it had been a dream come true to see the star.

"I didn't think he was going to come over. I thought he was going to go past," Felix said.

"He just said, 'Here you are', and he tapped me on the shoulder."

News imageShaun Whitmore/BBC A man with red hair and a white T-shirt plays a guitar alongside a woman with blonde hair and a black top.Shaun Whitmore/BBC
Kaye and Sheeran gave a rendition of The A Team to the crowd

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