THEY call themselves David Essex’s biggest fans.

And having worshipped the singer for more than three decades, these two lucky ladies are finally going to meet him tonight.

Sue Riley, of Outlane, and Margaret Harty, of Fenay Bridge, became good friends while working at House of Fraser in town.

After spending more time together, the pair realised they shared a strong bond – their love of David Essex.

Grandmother Sue entered Pulse Radio’s The Only Way is Essex competition in the hope of winning two tickets to see the star’s new show and go backstage.

After she found out she had won, she knew there was only one person she could take along with her.

She said: “I was on my way to work, sitting in the car, waiting to find out if I had won.

“When I found out, I rang Margaret and asked her what she was doing on October 24 and eventually asked her if she would like to meet David Essex?

“She was over the moon, we both were, it is very, very exciting.

“My husband Chris also wanted to come along, so we called and managed to get another ticket next to ours.

“From the age of 14, I had a poster of him in Godspell up in my bedroom. I liked him in the very early days before he was even really big.

“Tonight after the show we will be going to meet him, I’ve never seen him live and Chris always said I shouldn’t spoil the illusion of seeing him in his older days, but now I’m actually going to meet him and speak to him.”

Margaret, who has a life-size cut-out of the star, said: “Sue is a fantastic friend. I can’t wait to meet him and tell him I have seen him before and I’m one of his biggest fans.

“I have seen him in London, Halifax and a few other places and he is just marvellous, such a natural performer.

“We are going to invite him out for a curry with us after the show as well.

“When I was younger, I used to love his hair and his eyes and although he’s got a bit older, he’s still got that sparkle.”

Essex has recently been appearing in TV soap EastEnders. She described the history of her oversized cut out.

“I had worked at Boots record department while I was in my 20s and everybody knew I was a huge fan – so when our David Essex promotion was over I got to take him home.

“I used to have him in my bedroom and when I would leave for the day, I would turn him around so he was looking out of the window.

“I was living with my parents at the time at the Electricians Arms and an Examiner photographer took a picture of him staring out of the window.

“It appeared in an article that read, ‘Whose bedroom is David in?’ and I had to call in and say it was mine.

“I had been sorting through my dad’s papers, after he died last year and once again I came across David and the article, which he had kept in a special box.

“The cut-out now lives in my spare room.”

The pair will be seeing David’s musical, All the Fun of the Fair at the Bradford Alhambra.

The show is set around a travelling funfair, which is played out against a score of David’s greatest hits.