THE Daniel O'Donnell phenomenon hit Bournemouth last night as the idol from Co. Donegal embarked on his first ever summer season.

With 15,000 or 90 per cent of tickets sold prior to the six-day run BIC entertainments manager Rob Zuradzki was hailing it the most successful summer season show for 20 years.

The fans - who had travelled from throughout Britain, many booking all six shows, were rewarded with a four-hour performance that finished shortly before midnight.

And after that everyone was invited to queue up and meet Daniel well into the early hours of the morning.

Of all the superstars that have graced the BIC Daniel O'Donnell is unique.

He may have had problems with voice strain in the past - prompting him to take a three-month break earlier this year - but there was no holding him back last night. He was out to party!

Alongside the traditional Irish tunes and country music there was gospel music and rock. If he wasn't waltzing and jiving with his glamorous guest singer Mary Duff (with whom he shared some beautiful duets) he was mimicking Michael Flatley's River Dance.

But he didn't restrict himself to the confines of the stage.

The house lights went up and he sang three entire songs walking among the audience, exchanging kisses, posing for photographs and cracking plenty of jokes.

"I'm very good-looking you know," he told one blind fan, modestly adding: "I'm very average but I thank God for what I have."

Many of the fans he knew by sight and by name.

He thanked them for helping raise £1.5 million for the Romanian Challenge Appeal, talked at length about his involvement, the on-going work and held a raffle inviting the winner to meet him backstage.

The show reached a crescendo as, dressed all in white, he was raised up on a platform and sang How Great Thou Art in a swirl of white stars.

He apologised for staying on stage so long but thanked everyone for making him so welcome in Bournemouth.

"I just love to sing. If there was a cat playing a fiddle I would sing with it. When I started out it would have seemed incredible to do six nights here...you have no idea how happy you make me feel!"

Daniel is back at the BIC every night until Saturday.

SEE TOMORROW'S DAILY ECHO FOR AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL.