IN the week, Mike Carran works as a Tendring Council officer.

But at the weekend, he has turned into a lockdown legend keeping audience’s spirits lifted during the year-long pandemic.

Mike started singing on Zoom as a pastime to keep himself entertained throughout lockdown, but it quickly became a staple feature in people’s Saturday night routines.

It all started as a suggestion from his friends but it grew into a community virtual get together and lead to new friendships.

Gazette: Mike Carran performing liveMike Carran performing live

Yet, despite becoming trusted allies, Mike has never met his new-found friends - a reminder of the turbulent and unique times we live in.

Mike, 50, said he decided to log on to sing into his computer from his home in Dovercourt in the hopes of just feeling normal for a few precious hours.

He said: “My initial thoughts were who’s going to want to listen to this? I was quickly bowled over as a lot of people tuned in and listened.

“It started off as something I was going to do once in a blue moon, but it soon became a community with lots of the same people logging in each week.

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“I think we were all trying to deal with what was going on in the world in our own way, and this was a method of letting some of this anxiety off and having some fun and banter.

“What I found overwhelming was the amount of people who I still have never met before but who I have known for a year.

“They’ve logged in every Saturday, and kept in touch throughout the week, putting in their own requests.

“The reaction has been quite staggering, it really hit me over the past few days. There were people who had lost a loved one and have used my performances as a way to come together.

“It was a forum for them to unite and ask for a couple of songs for that person which were appropriate, to be together in a positive way and listen to some songs which that person loved.

“It’s quite a strange thing, playing in your living room, because you’re on your own. When you play live you get a reaction off people, but this time we built a community up and listeners would be chatting among themselves.

Gazette: Mike Carran has been involved with music since he was 10-years-oldMike Carran has been involved with music since he was 10-years-old

“It has been such a unique period of everyone’s life and we’ve all been trying to deal with it in our own way. This was my way of feeling normal for a couple of hours.

“It was music bringing people to get together to help them deal with the lockdown in the best way possible. The fact other people have got something out of it too, possibly more than music, is amazing.”

Mike decided to call it a day for his weekly performances after a year in the spotlight and with lockdown easing.

But to round off a fantastic if difficult year, Mike was joined by an extra-special performer for his swansong.

His 18-year-old son, Sam, sung alongside him for what he described as an all-round emotional experience.

Read more: Lane of A12 reopens after vehicle overturns during rush hour Popular walking route recognised as one of Britain's best by ITV Mike added: “As a dad this was massively special for me and I’ll always remember it. I think the thing most people have found over the past year is we’ve been robbed of memories we could’ve made.

“However, I think this has given me something to reflect on in years to come. This moment with one of my sons is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

“When I tell my grandchildren in years to come about lockdown I’ll tell them about the Saturday nights I spent with a community I’d built up, the fun and the banter we all had. It’s been a huge positive.

“This Saturday I’m going to feel a little lost, it’s been such a massive part of my life over the past year.”

It won’t just be Mike who will be feeling lost, however, as it will be the first time in more than a year his fans turned friends will be without their Saturday night entertainment.

One such new found ally is Steve Batchelor, who described Mike as a “lockdown legend”.

He added: “Mike has brought happiness, helped forge new friendships in lonely times, and been a light in the dark throughout the entirety of lockdown.

“Words cannot thank him enough for keeping the spirits lifted.”