Rick Astley performs with Nottingham schoolchildren after Twitter campaign

Pupils at a primary school "never gave up" in their quest to meet 80s singer Rick Astley - and were repaid when the pop star performed a track with them.

Students at Nottingham's Netherfield Primary School began a Twitter campaign after picking his hit "Never Gonna Give You Up" as their anthem.

They also wrote letters asking Astley to visit their assembly.

He met up with pupils at the Royal Concert Hall prior to a gig and said: "I'll not forget this in a hurry".

Teacher James Payne had tweeted Astley repeatedly since September.

In one message he sent a video of the children singing Never Gonna Give You Up and wrote: "We weren't alive in 1987 but we sure would feel like we were if you were able to come and join us at our class assembly!"

Mr Payne told BBC Radio Nottingham last month they had been "spamming" the singer almost every day.

"It's getting to the point that I'm starting to think maybe I'm going to get some sort of contact from him, but maybe through a restraining order or something like that," he said.

All 29 of the Class 8 pupils wrote letters to the singer urging him to visit their school to meet his new, young fans.

Mr Payne said the lyrics of the song were close to the school's own values and had been used by the children to encourage each other during lessons.

After finally getting contact from Astley's management, the pupils had the chance to meet their new idol backstage at the concert venue and sing together.

Astley said: "It must be very strange for them but they don't seem to be fazed by it.

"I've been to Nottingham before, I've sung in this room but I certainly won't forget this day in a hurry."

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.