Singer Eddy Huntington had a string of hits across the globe in the 1980s after leaving his Peterlee home to seek fame and fortune in London aged 18 and with only £10 in his pocket.

He was whisked away to Italy after being discovered by Baby Records where his first single, USSR, became a hit in mainland Europe and the Soviet Union.

After releasing further hits and singing at events with the likes of Kylie Minogue, Bonnie Tyler and Sam Fox he gave up the "whirlwind lifestyle" to settle down as a primary school teacher.

But he still picks-and-chooses events to sing at across Europe and is now hoping to be Norway's representative in May's Eurovision Song Contest, which is being held in the country's capital Oslo.

Eddy, 43, said: "Teaching was one of the things I always wanted to do but I also wanted to be a pop star, meet Cliff Richard and go to a Eurovision contest.

"I've done all those things and all that's left is to perform at Eurovision, I guess that is my final goal.

"It got to the point where I couldn't walk down the street in some countries without being mobbed and builders whistled my songs when I walked past.

"I stopped when I was on top and when I wanted to start a family."

Eddy, who is also popular in the Far East, says he was asked to do the song by an old Norwegian contact from the 1980s and has recorded a demo of the track titled Rainy Day in May.

The dad-of-two, of Dalton Piercy, added: "It's a great opportunity and I've had loads of good feedback, including the support of Norway's winner last year.

"The only thing against me is I'm English but I can't help that.
"Now I just have to wait for the other heats to come out and see what happens."

Eddy, who is dad to James, 18, and one-year-old William, moved from his parents' Buckingham Road, Peterlee, home to London after jumping on a bus with nothing to his name.

He was working in a corner shop but saw an advert for Pineapple Dance Studios where he got a job on the desk and met the likes of Cliff Richard, David Bowie and Diana Ross.

Eddy, who is married to fellow teacher Lois, who is expecting a girl in November, added: "The head guy from Baby Records came over from Italy and said 'we need to meet'.

"He pulled my record out of his bag and told me we had to talk about a contract because my record was already doing well in the charts. I was in shock but that was how it began."

After months of travelling, performing and partying, Eddy, who now teaches at Rosebrook Primary, in Stockton, stopped touring to teach. He finished a teaching degree in London before moving back to North East England where he taught at Hartlepool's Eldon Grove Primary School.