Elvis may have left the school building but heartbroken fans needn’t fret – he’ll be back for one last showstopper.

Urmston’s answer to the King, Kevin Murphy, will be crooning away at his own leaving do at Wellacre Academy.

Mr Murphy left the boys’ school in July after 40 years.

But rather than sit back and relax in his retirement, the former art teacher has been busy planning a fundraising party where he will once again be taking to the stage.

And like the legend himself, he has no plans to disappear.

He said: "I don’t see this as a farewell because I will be doing some voluntary work at the school – a bit of music and also sport – and some supply work across the borough.

"I’m not big-headed or anything I just wanted to celebrate my days at Wellacre and raise money for charity."

Mr Murphy says he didn’t find his voice until he found himself teaching a rowdy class.

"I never thought I could sing and then one day I was teaching a year nine class," he said.

"I started singing ‘one for the money...’ and they quietened down.

"After that I would tell the boys if they shut up and listen they would get a song.

"The first year fell for it every time and I did the dancing if they behaved perfectly.

"With some of the older ones I told them that I would start singing if they didn’t shut up."

His love of the Elvis songs has now extended past the classroom – he is regularly booked as an impersonator and has even auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent.

"I go for Elvis’ look in the early days rather than his later Las Vegas phase," added Mr Murphy, who cites his favourite songs as Blue Suede Shoes and All Shook Up.

Principal Ray Howell said the school was grateful to Mr Murphy for his many years of service. Mr Howell said: "He is an absolute legend in the local community."

Mr Murphy’s party will be held at the Irlam Road school on Friday, November 18, from 7pm. Tickets, priced £5, can be booked by calling Duncan Wise at Wellacre on 748 5011 or emailing dwise@wellacre.org.  Proceeds go to Wellacre’s exchange programme Afritwin with a school in South Africa.

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