West Midlands singing sensation Connie Talbot enjoyed an absolutely fabulous meeting with national acting treasure Joanna Lumley.

The nine-year-old songbird from Streetly, Walsall, immediately stole the heart of the Gurkhas’ champion at a fund raiser in London.

Organised by the Rainbow Trust children’s charity, the carol concert at the actors’ church – St Paul’s, in Covent Garden – also featured readings from Butterflies star Geoffrey Palmer and novelist and actor Julian Fellowes.

Mark Ellis, who runs Connie’s official internet forum, said her two performances on stage had gone down a storm.

“It was obvious that Connie and Joanna enjoyed meeting each other very much. I think Joanna was as charmed by Connie as everyone else seems to be,” he said.

“The audience was spellbound during Connie’s performance, firstly of Somewhere Over The Rainbow and then Ave Maria.

“She received a wonderful round of applause.”

The event came hot on the heels of a series of appearances in the USA for the Blackwood Primary School pupil.

She performed at the Toys for Tots national campaign launch and a Public Broadcasting Service one-hour TV special hosted by Connie is expected to be seen by more than 100 million Americans over the festive season.