Take That superfans make trip to Sunderland from Australia

She also recalled the time Gary Barlow had promised fans he would attend some of their major milestones in 2016.

“We campaigned for 263 days and then he turned up on my 40th,” she said.

“Greatest day came on – 200 guests moved forward and I turned around and there he was behind me singing Greatest Day,” she said.

Meanwhile Allison Ellis and Linda Russell, from Whitley Bay, said they arrived in Sunderland at 06:00 BST to get to the front of the gig queue.

Asked why they were such big fans, Ellis said: “They’re just nice lads and they’re not bad looking.”