Legendary Canvey guitarist Wilko Johnson celebrated his 70th birthday in style... at the Royal Albert Hall.

Wilko famed for his spells with Canvey rockers Dr Feelgood and as a member of Ian Dury’s Blockheads, performed some of the best-known songs from his career to a delighted packed-out audience at the famous old London venue.

The guitarist appears to be in rude health after his health scares in recent years, rolling back the years with a virtuoso performance of vim and vigour.

Despite only hitting the stage at 9.45pm, the crowd lapped up every moment of his energetic 75-minute performance.

The support acts went down a storm, too, with Southend band Eight Rounds Rapid, featuring Wilko’s son Simon, getting things off to a flying start.

The main support was provided by Colchester-based Mancunian punk poet John Cooper Clarke, whose idiosyncratic couplets and musings were also rapturously received.

But it was Wilko, who lives in Westcliff, the crowd had come to salute and the man delivered with excellent renditions of songs that have shaped his career.

Among highlights were a storming Roxette, Going Back Home, I May Be Wrong, I May Be Right and a quite outstanding rendition of She Does It Right. For the crowd this was a treat and one suspects it was for Wilko, too.