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Ed Sheeran closes Divide tour with Ipswich homecoming gigs | Ed Sheeran closes Divide tour with Ipswich homecoming gigs |
(32 minutes later) | |
An Ed Sheeran fan has travelled "36 hours in a tin can" from New Zealand to see the singer end his tour with four homecoming gigs. | |
Up to 160,000 people are expected to watch the singer-songwriter as he starts the end of his record-breaking Divide tour in Ipswich on Friday. | |
By the end of the run Sheeran will have spent 893 days on the road - beating U2's record of 760 days. | By the end of the run Sheeran will have spent 893 days on the road - beating U2's record of 760 days. |
Gary Mills has travelled to Suffolk from Christchurch for the gig. | Gary Mills has travelled to Suffolk from Christchurch for the gig. |
He moved to New Zealand in 1979 but has flown his family back to Ipswich for Friday's concert. | |
"When Divide came out, especially Castle on the Hill, I was out walking the dog and I must have listened to it on a loop for about 20 minutes," he said. | "When Divide came out, especially Castle on the Hill, I was out walking the dog and I must have listened to it on a loop for about 20 minutes," he said. |
"It did bring back a lot of memories of being home and being in Suffolk and it kind of made that link back home really strong again. | "It did bring back a lot of memories of being home and being in Suffolk and it kind of made that link back home really strong again. |
"It'll be fantastic just to be there, the atmosphere, to listen and enjoy the first homecoming concert with everybody else. It's kind of a dream come true." | "It'll be fantastic just to be there, the atmosphere, to listen and enjoy the first homecoming concert with everybody else. It's kind of a dream come true." |
Sheeran was born in Yorkshire but moved to Framlingham in Suffolk at a young age. | |
Many of his songs reference the county, including his "love song" to Suffolk, Castle on the Hill. | |
One person who will almost have a front row seat is Tina Cook, who can see the stage from her garden. | One person who will almost have a front row seat is Tina Cook, who can see the stage from her garden. |
"My daughters bought me a ticket so I am going on Friday. I didn't need to go, I will be able to hear it from here, every night," she said. | "My daughters bought me a ticket so I am going on Friday. I didn't need to go, I will be able to hear it from here, every night," she said. |
Hundreds of people queued up for a pop-up merchandise shop on Thursday. | |
Surf and skate clothing brand Hoax, a favourite of Sheeran's, is selling Divide tour merchandise, including specially made Ipswich Town football shirts. | |
Managing director Jason Carter said the reaction had been "phenomenal". | Managing director Jason Carter said the reaction had been "phenomenal". |
The whole of his old school, Thomas Mills High School, will be watching Sunday's show after the singer gave staff and pupils free tickets. | |
The singer's former music teacher Richard Hanley described it as "a typically generous act". | |
Pupils from the school will be performing on stage after their band Salvador was chosen to be on the line-up. | Pupils from the school will be performing on stage after their band Salvador was chosen to be on the line-up. |
The singer-songwriter's tour has surpassed U2's 7.3 million record attendance and has averaged 34,541 people per show over the 255 shows. | The singer-songwriter's tour has surpassed U2's 7.3 million record attendance and has averaged 34,541 people per show over the 255 shows. |
It is the highest grossing and most attended tour ever. | It is the highest grossing and most attended tour ever. |
A free exhibition which opened on Monday, curated by his father John, features a letter informing Sheeran he got straight Fs in a music course after dropping out. | A free exhibition which opened on Monday, curated by his father John, features a letter informing Sheeran he got straight Fs in a music course after dropping out. |