VETERAN rocker Rod Stewart was sailing in Salcombe after choosing to stay in the up market seaside town for his one night sell out show in Plymouth.

Rod and wife Penny booked in at the 35-bedroom beachside Tides Reach Hotel at South Sands, Salcombe, for Thursday night.

The rocker with a string of hits behind him from Sailing and Maggie May to Hot Legs and Do Ya Think I'm Sexy took the South Sands ferry to the centre of Salcombe before hitting the local shops for a bit of retail therapy before the concert.

He then posed with surprised holidaymakers for photographs in the Whitestrand Quay area of the town before heading back to the hotel to get ready for the concert.

A few hours later he wowed thousands of fans as he hit the stage at Plymouth Argyle's soccer ground venue on Thursday night.

The pop star played for two hours to fans who had paid up to £65 a head to see him in the one-off concert which is probably the only one he will be doing this year.

John Edwards, the owner of the Tides Reach Hotel confirmed Rod had booked into the hotel on Thursday morning with his wife Penny Lancaster and the couple checked out yesterday morning.

One report said when he arrived in the town centre he had a 'couple of minders' with him, although this did not stop him from agreeing to pose with visitors for photographs.

He also went into a couple of the up market clothes shops in the town.

One member of staff said; "He was having a good old shop around Salcombe, but he was keeping himself to himself."

DID Rod pose for a picture with you? Email newsdesk@heraldexpress.co.uk or phone 01803 676223.