An appeal went out today to help a Shropshire man recapture memories of the day he stepped into the national spotlight for a shot at stardom.

Kenneth Elcocks took centre stage back in 1975 when he appeared on hit ATV talent show of the time, New Faces, under the stage name Kenny Windsor. Millions of viewers lapped up the Telford funnyman’s act.

It included his favourite character, Farmer George, the Shropshire Lad. The performance earned him fourth place in the show, but Kenneth himself has never seen a recording.

Now his son Lee, from Wombridge, Telford, is hoping someone has an old recording of that New Faces night so his dad, who is now 73 and lives in Bath, can rekindle some happy memories.

Videocassette recorders were available at the time, even though they were not mass marketed until the late 1970s, so Lee is clinging to the hope that someone, somewhere, has a tape of the show.

The 32-year-old said: “Dad has never seen a recording of the show as it went out on air. I had hoped that this year I would be able to get him a copy from the ITV archives but this is proving a little more difficult than I at first thought. Back in the early to mid-70s, ITV and BBC recorded over TV shows as film was expensive.

“It appears, sadly, that the episode that my dad appeared on was one of these tapes and has never been seen since.

“The show was broadcast on February 8, 1975, and I’m hoping that somebody in Shropshire just may have recorded it.

“Dad’s personal manager at the time was a man called Bernie Lewis who then lived in Much Wenlock. I don’t know if he is still around but if he is maybe he has a recording.

“I would just like Shropshire Star readers to check their attics for any old tapes which may just have this lost recording.

“If I am successful I want to give dad the copy as a Christmas present.”

Anyone who can help Lee with his search can contact him on 07790 779792.