IT was 50 years ago that an Australian folk group sailed unnoticed into Southampton.

They planned to play the odd gig before joining their ship for a Pacific islands tour.

But within seven months of docking in Hampshire they were riding on the crest of the wave in the UK pop charts.

Folk suddenly became the new rock ’n’ roll as The Seekers topped the charts with I’ll Never Find Another You.

Their next two singles also went to number one, making them the first group to take the top slot with each of their first three singles.

The Seekers still hold the record for the biggest concert crowd in the southern hemisphere playing to a 200,000 audience in March 1967.

And the band, which still has the original line-up of Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley, will be back on the south coast, playing the BIC Bournemouth on May 23 in their final UK tour.

During their five-week, 15- date golden jubilee tour they will be rolling out all the old hits like A World Of Our Own, Georgy Girl, which was nominated for an Academy Award, The Carnival Is Over and Morningtown Ride.

And the group have also released a golden jubilee album – 50 tracks for 50 years.