IT WILL be a real family affair when Noel Harrison takes the stage at Ashburton Town Hall next month for a special performance in the historic town he is now proud to call his home town.

Noel (pictured), son of actor Sir Rex Harrison, is best known in this country for the Oscar-winning song The Windmills of Your Mind.

He spent 40 years in the United States and Canada before moving to Devon four years ago to be near his four grandsons.

Performing with him on Saturday, December 5, will be his first wife Sara Salmon, who lives just down the road from him at Holne and two of their daughters.

The eldest, Cathryn Laing, has had a successful career as an actress with the Royal Shakespeare Company as well as many film and television parts.

Her sister Harriet is an accomplished horsewoman and was an Olympic potential until she fell and injured her shoulder. She teaches riding now and commentates annually on Radio Badminton.

Noel says it should be quite a nostalgic experience when he comes on stage with Canadian-born Sara. They were married from 1958 to 1969 and had three children.

"The last and only time Sara and I sang together in public was on the Mike Douglas TV Show in the States in 1968," Noel recalls. "We sang 'When I'm 64'."

Noel is now 75 and still singing with all the verve that has kept him in the public eye for so many years.

Before emigrating to the United States he was a popular cabaret artist in London, playing at most of the major clubs.

The BBC engaged him to sing calypso style on the Tonight programme in the 1950s, alternating with the West Indian folk singer Cy Grant.

In America, he played many classic venues and his hit recording of Charles Aznevour's A Young Girl made him a pop star.

He toured with Sonny and Cher and the Beach Boys and recorded another top 40 hit with Leonard Cohen's Suzanne. Windmills of Your Mind followed.

He moved to Nova Scotia, in eastern Canada, in the 1970s and became known as a folk singer.

The 1990s saw him playing in folk clubs, coffee houses, theatres and concert venues in Los Angeles before he returned to the UK.

During the past year he has performed for Villages In Action, to audiences in 20 different village halls around Devon.

Performing with Noel and family at Ashburton Town Hall will be Giles Porter on the guitar and Teresa Archer, vocalist.

The concert begins at 8pm, tickets are £5 on the door or can be reserved by ringing Ashburton Information Centre on 01364 653426.