Thursday, 6 December 2007

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Dolly Parton visits Rotherham

Country musician launches reading scheme in the Yorkshire town

Dolly Parton was in the UK yesterday, visiting un unusual tourist destination - Rotherham.

The country legend, 61, was launching a charity book scheme in the least celeb town in the country.

She was invited by town councillor Roger Stone who'd read about the success of the project in Dolly's US hometown of Tennessee.

Dolly belted out some of her classics - including Workin' Nine To Five - before she gave a speech at a converted steel mill.

The singer, who was dressed in a sparkly green suit, complete with tassles, even joked how she had practised how to pronouce the town's name.

'Rotherham,' she told the crowd. 'It don't look like that on paper. Where I come from we'd say that "Rather-Hay-am". But ah bin practisin' for days!'

Later, Dolly visited a NHS maternity ward in the South Yorkshire metropolis.

'I think it's fantastic,' Councillor Roger Stone tells the Daily Mail.

'We don't often get an iconic star like Dolly Parton coming to Rotherham. Most people seem to think "Up North" is still all whippets and flat caps.

'That's rubbish. I were born and bred here and to me it's Shangri-la.'

Dolly’s Imagination Library scheme hopes to get more kids reading.