As Daniel O'Donnell fans go, this one must take a lot of beating.

Norwich Evening News: Daniel O'Donnell will be appearing at the Norwich Theatre Royal. Date: Nigel SchermulyDaniel O'Donnell will be appearing at the Norwich Theatre Royal. Date: Nigel Schermuly (Image: Nigel Schermuly 07905 529 925)

Grandfather-of-five Michael Foyle, 67, camped outside the Theatre Royal in Norwich for nearly two-and-a-half days to make sure he was first in the queue to buy tickets to see the singer at the venue later in the year.

And last night he said he was surprised that other fans had not joined him.

Mr Foyle arrived in Norwich on Wednesday night after driving from his home in Lincoln. He left his car at a city car park and then walked over to the Theatre Royal, in Theatre Street, to take up his position outside the venue, at about 1am on Thursday.

Armed with a comfortable seat, a flask of hot drink, a sleeping bag, some warm clothing, and a kindle edition of 'Why does E equal mc²', by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw, to read, he was expected to still be in situ this morning waiting for tickets to go on sale at 9.30am.

During his mammoth 56.5-hour stint, the Theatre Royal management made sure he was okay and kept him supplied with extra food and drink.

Mr Foyle said: 'I'm queuing for four tickets – one for myself, one for my wife Sandra, who is the main Daniel O'Donnell fan in the family, my daughter Deborah Brown, 32, and my granddaughter Bethany Jackson, 14. My wife has followed Daniel for about 20 years.'

The family has seen Daniel perform in Nottingham, London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Halifax and Bradford and Mr Foyle said he queued overnight in Bournemouth last year to get tickets to see the Irish singer perform.

He added: 'I don't mind doing it. I do it for my family. This is the first time I've been to Norwich. The nearest I've come before was West Raynham in the air force. The weather's been OK. I have had a lot of people coming up to me to ask me what I'm doing, but they have all been nice. '

John Bultitude, Norwich Theatre Royal spokesman, said: 'The days of people camping out in large numbers and queueing down Theatre Street to snap up tickets for performances are becoming more of a thing of the past with the popularity of internet and telephone booking.

'There are still a handful of customers who enjoy the camaraderie and atmosphere of queueing up outside the theatre to be the first to get tickets in their hands and see it as part of the experience when it comes to a popular performer like Daniel O'Donnell.'

Daniel O'Donnell plays at The Theatre Royal at 7.30pm on October 13 and 14. Booking opens to the public in person at 9.30am today and to the public by post, phone, fax and online an hour later.