Watch: Slade fans from far and wide come back 'ome to where it all began in two day celebration of the band's music and legacy

The annual fan convention celebrating the music of Noddy Holder, Dave Hill, Jim Lea and Don Powell, who collectively sold millions of records together and had seven number ones started at Wolverhampton Arts Centre on Friday, with Slade UK taking to the stage to a large and enthusiastic audience. 

They were performing for the first time in six years and delighted the crowd, who had travelled far and wide for the event, which started in the 1980s and became a permanent fixture in Wolverhampton in 2015.

Many of the fans had been coming year after year and some travelled from the USA, Spain, Germany and Sweden.

Cathy Nulter had travelled all the way from West Virginia, USA for the event.

She said: "I grew up in the 70s listening to Top 40 radio in a very small town and Slade were part of that, when they had a few songs which did well in the USA including Cum on Feel the Noize and I just took to their look and music and have been a fan ever since."

Hakan Lindberg and James Gramath came over for the event from just outside Stockholm, Sweden. James said: "I have followed them since the 1970s ever since my brother but home the single Gudbuy T'Jane and I was hooked from them.

"I was too young to see them in the 1970s but I did meet Don Powell at one of the conventions - he was a fabulous guy."

Gwen Dale was at the convention with partner Glen, who is a former roadie for the band. She moved from Dundee to Walsall as a young woman and told the Express & Star it was a result of her love for Slade.

She said: "I was a mental Slade fan with my next door neighbour and we were daft youngsters who one day jumped on a train, got a taxi to Walsall and knocked on Noddy (Holder's) mum's door only to be told the band were away in America.

"We went back home but only stayed there for a year until I came back to Walsall and settled here and it was all for the love of Slade."

Tim Daines came over from Spain where he hosts 'The Slade Show' on Almeria Radio every Monday from 8pm, He has seen Slade 58 times and said he was looking forward to the event.

He said: "We have fun with the radio show, which has built up a very big following and we play anything related to Slade, including music from the Don Powell band - they are just a wonderful band and this convention gives us chance to meet up with fellow fans."

Former children's television presenter Gareth Jones - formerly known as Gaz Top - said he owed his career on the small screen to Slade.

He said: "As a kid I wanted to either be the first Welshman in space or the bass player for Slade - it ended up being the latter and being a roadie for a successful band and having  a rock and roll career with them led to the audition for ITV and the success of How2 and CITV which older fans may remember.

"I have interviewed them many times and made a documentary Perseverance which is still available on YouTube and for which they generously gave their time."

Gareth will play with his tribute band today (Saturday) and there will be a special 50th anniversary screening of 1975 film '"Slade in Flame"  at the Lockworks Cinema 

Another Slade tribute - Sladest who headlined the festival for the last two years - will play at the arts centre which will be open all day. 

For details of the event, which continues on Saturday, go to the Wolverhampton Arts Centre website