Sixteen-time Grammy award-winning musician Sting has performed songs from his latest album, “The Last Ship” and new Broadway musical of the same name in New York on board Southampton liner, Queen Mary 2.

The one-off performance took place in front of an invited audience in the ship's Royal Court Theatre just two days after the musician made his official debut as a Broadway composer.

Set in his hometown of Wallsend on Tyneside in the North East of England, 'The Last Ship' draws on Sting's memories of growing up next to the Swan Hunter shipyard.

Over the years, 15 of Cunard's ships were built at the yard, including the four-funnelled Mauretania, once the biggest ship in the world.

Sting said: “Cunard is one of the most famous names in shipping and a lot of very notable ships were built on Tyneside - Mauretania and Carpathia, to name but two. There's a great lineage.

“I was born and raised in Wallsend in the shadow of the Swan Hunter shipyard. My earliest memories are of ships being built and launched into the river.

“You couldn't escape Swan Hunter - there was a coal mine at one end of town and Swan Hunter at the other, so these ships loomed over our houses.”

Angus Struthers, Cunard's marketing director, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have welcomed Sting on board Queen Mary 2, where the audience enjoyed songs from his brand new Broadway musical 'The Last Ship' as well as tracks such as 'An Englishman in New York' and 'Message in a Bottle'.