Nik Kershaw in Telford gig to raise money for boy in leukaemia battle

The Wouldn't It Be Good singer will take to the stage in Oakengates, Telford, on September 9 for the second charity concert to raise money for Ben Corfield.

Ben, from Little Wenlock, was just seven when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in February 2015 and has undergone much of his treatment at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

This year, Ben's Charity Concert will take place on September 9, with Kershaw the headline act.

There are currently two support acts – Telford band The Goldroom, who took part in the first charity concert last year and another, which has yet to be confirmed.

For the first time, there will also be an acoustic stage this year in the bar at Oakengates Theatre for an after-show party.

This will also have three acts performing and confirmed so far are Rhi and Ed and Ralph Porrett.

The event will be hosted by Paul Shuttleworth from BBC Radio Shropshire with the after-show party and acoustic stage will be hosted by Facebook star Rich Pilgrim.

Last year's concert also took place in September and featured 80s icons Go West as the headline act.

Ben's father, Jason, is behind the concert.

A car dealer, he has been raising money in honour of his son, a pupil at Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge Primary School, after feeling powerless to help him following his diagnosis.

To date they have raised tens of thousands of pounds for the Ben Corfield Football Fund, which gives money to help other children going through treatment for cancer.

However, the concert itself will raise money for Cure Leukaemia, the blood cancer charity to help support the building of a world class haematology centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

Jason said: "We raised £6,000 for Birmingham Children's Hospital last year.

"In raising money for this appeal, we aim to help child leukaemia research as they run tests and drug trials, to help increase survival rates of children suffering from this terrible disease."

The event will be sponsored by Rollinson Smith Insurance Brokers and has been chosen by the Lloyd's Bank Community Fund as its charity partner.

Singer-singwriter Nik Kershaw came to prominence in the mid-1980s as a solo artist, releasing eight singles that entered the Top 40 charts in the UK including Wouldn't It Be Good, I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, The Riddle and Human Racing.

Over the years he has collaborated on albums with a number of artists such as Elton John, Bonnie Tyler, Tony Banks and Gary Barlow.

Tickets go on sale on March 1, priced at £25, with limited availability for a VIP upgrade.

For more information, or to book tickets visit theplacetelford.com