His decision led to a farewell tour which was cut short due to another illness � but since then the former Dr Feelgood guitarist has hit the road once more. However, he's aware time is ticking. And when the end comes he'll be thinking about his wife, Irene Knight, who died of cancer in 2004. He created a JustGiving page in her memory and it's still open for donations.

"I know what it's like to lose someone you love. It's a terrible feeling � it's so much worse for my friends and family than for me," He says. "When my wife was dying, that was despair. I'm still in love with her. The most painful thing in my life is that she's gone. Seeing her wasting away� she was so brave and never complained. She was a wonderful person.