A UKULELE and banjo player, who was a good friend of George Harrison, has played in a concert celebrating the Beatles guitarist's memory.

Ray Bernard and wife Karen Shutt, from Alsager, joined international musicians for a one-off celebration at Liverpool's St George's Hall on Saturday.

Harrison tribute band Sir Frankie Crisp and the Friars kicked off the gig before handing over to 74-year-old Ray and his pianist wife, who is aged 47.

A capacity crowd of more than 600 fans went through the doors over the course of the matinee and evening performance of an event designed to mark the start of a seven-week exhibition devoted to the Beatle.

Retired print manager Ray, of Craig Walk, said: "I first met George Harrison when he attended a George Formby Society convention in Blackpool in 1990.

"He was a charming man accompanied by his lovely wife Olivia and son Dhani. He had also brought along his friend Jimmy Nail.

"George wanted a ukulele repaired and I was able to help him. We all went back to my hotel and George stayed until 2am and from then we had a very nice relationship.

"The concert was a resounding success. It was a complete sell-out and both Karen and myself were so elated when we came off stage."

Ray, who has been playing the ukulele since he was a teenager, said: "It was the most prestigious concert hall we have ever performed in.

"We were meant to play for 15 minutes but ended up staying on stage for 20. It was very special because everyone was there for George, and he had sold out once again."

Ray and Karen visited George and his family several times at Friar Park, their 120-room Victorian neo-Gothic mansion near Henley-on-Thames.

And George returned the favour and visited them in Alsager.

The friendship grew around their mutual love of ukulele music and during visits they would spend relaxed weekends playing and chatting.

On one trip to Friar Park, Ray took his De Vekey model four ukulele, one of only 12 in the world.

George Harrison instantly fell in love with the instrument, worth about £600, and asked to buy it.

But instead of exchanging money, George handed Ray a Gibson 3 ukulele worth about £1,200.

Ray said: "When we stayed at his house we very rarely sat in the lounge, we would congregate in the kitchen and talk for hours.

"He was a very unassuming character. He would give us menus and we would all pick some sort of Chinese and a lady would go and pick it up from a takeaway in the town."

Ray eventually sold the Gibson a couple of years ago after suffering ill health.

But it was bought by a fellow fan who organised the tribute concert and Ray was able to use it once more when he performed on stage.

Teacher Karen said: "The concert was awesome, it was such a moving experience and I was very proud to be involved in it.

"George Harrison was a very warm person. He was easy to talk to and he always loved to hear me play the piano.

"It was an honour to play at the tribute concert."

Ray and Karen performed four of George's favourite songs: the Ukulele Rag, September in the Rain, Dizzy Fingers and a Gershwin medley.

Their next gig will be at Longton Central Hall on September 12.