IMPERSONATOR Garry J Foley has made it to the finals of the world's largest Elvis festival for his tribute to the king.

The father of two who lives in Poole, has been performing as the rock and roll legend for around 15 years and won numerous awards.

Hosted in Collingwood, Ontario in Canada, Garry was the only Brit to gain a place in the finals of the Grand Elvis Championships, having come third last year.

Over its 24 year history, the Collingwood Elvis Festival has attracted thousands of visitors from around the globe.

The festival is a celebration of the life and times of Elvis Presley and his influence on various musical genres.

Garry told the Echo: "I feel very fortunate that I've been able to play this role which has enabled me to travel the world.

"The pinnacle for me was being rated as one of the top 18 tribute artists in the world and being asked to perform for Elvis Enterprises in Memphis in 2016."

The secret of his success, says Garry, is attention to detail.

"My costumes are exact re-creations of those worn by Elvis made by a US costume maker, who holds the original patterns of Elvis’ jumpsuits. They cost an arm and a leg but it's worth it."

In 2014, Garry was approached by a worldwide production company to star in the lead role in the theatre stage production of Elvis – The King of Rock & Roll and subsequently toured China in 2015, performing 42 shows in 30 cities.

During the period 2016-2018, Garry completed three tours of India with his band and will be touring India again in 2019 as well as the Gulf states.

Garry added: "It's about singing music that I love and keeping the legacy of Elvis alive. What is encouraging is that over the past few years, I've noticed more younger people in the audience which shows that his music still has broad appeal will ensure that his legacy will live on."