One fan surprised the singer during the show

He had a string of hits with Wet Wet Wet in the eighties and nineties before quitting the band in 1999.

"The atmosphere was great," he said. "I had such a warm welcome."

"Stonewall really help me get over my disease. They do some excellent work with drug rehabilitation.

"When they asked to play here today and I was more than happy to be able to put something back in through music."

He received a letter from home secretary Jack Straw before the gig, wishing him luck and thanking him for supporting the prison's work against narcotic dependency.

Hits

During the gig, one of the crowd surprised the singer by running to the stage, giving him a bunch of flowers and a kiss.

He played hits including Goodnight Girl, Get By With A Little Help From My Friends and Sweet Little Mystery.

Record-breaking single Love is All Around, which spent 37 weeks in the UK singles chart in 1994, ended the gig.

After the show, he talked to inmates on the drug dependency programme.

Prison governor David Lancaster said: "I am really pleased that Marti Pellow was able to support the efforts and achievements in drug rehabilitation at the prison in this way."

Pellow admitted his heroin addiction in September 2000 after spending time in rehabilitation clinics.

He played his first solo tour in November 2000 and is preparing to release a solo single and album.