Shropshire Star

Telford karaoke queen Rose, 92, forced to step back after being injured in smash

She's known as the queen of karaoke in Telford  –at the grand age of 92.

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But Rose Strickland has been forced to take a step back from the hobby she enjoys after being involved in a car accident.

She was travelling in the front passenger seat to a performance at the Beacon in Madeley with her son Dennis and partner Terry when they were involved in a head-on collision.

Rose suffered severe pain to her leg and chest, which has meant she has not been able to leave her house in Malinslee for three weeks.

Rose is popular on the karaoke scene

Her partner Terry and her daughter Elaine, 59, have been with her every day helping her, but she said it has been devastating for her, as she normally enjoys an active lifestyle.

Rose only began singing in public in her 50s, but is a regular at karaoke nights across Telford.

She said: "I am a singer, that's why this has really taken it out of me, because I can't go out of the house.

"Six nights out of seven I would be out at different pubs, I sing at the White Horse, the Horseshoes, the Travellers, the Beacon.

"My friends have said people are asking where I am.

"I've had cards from friends and from some of the pubs.

"People call me the Queen of Karaoke.

"This has taken everything from me. I'm a very active person. I do everything myself.

"To me, it is really bad because I've always been so active."

Rose is originally from Birmingham, and was in hospital from birth until the age of two because of problems with her legs.

She began singing as a teenager for her father.

During World War Two she became a NAAFI girl and saw the impact of the war on her home city.

She moved to Telford in her 30s with her husband, Frank.

In her 50s, she was re-introduced to singing through her brother, when they were out together and he put her name down for the karaoke without her knowledge.

She said: "On my third song, which was especially for my husband and was This is My Lovely Day, an opera song, the whole audience stood up, and I thought they didn't like me but they all started clapping and said 'What a voice'.

"I started singing then and I've never stopped.

"I am going to get back there, but it is slow going, I don't know when I will be back singing again."

She released her first CD at the age of 57, and had been planning to release another before the accident, but her plans have been put on hold.

She said she was desperate to be able to go out and sing again.

Rose, who has five children, five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandaughters, said it was only in the past few days that she had been able to get up and around at home.

The accident happened on January 27, when she and Dennis, 64, also a singer, were travelling to perform.

She said: "My son got it worse because of the steering wheel. He has asthma and couldn't breathe after the accident.

"The police were excellent, a lady pulled up behind us and asked if she could get us anything."

Rose had to be taken to hospital and has since had a number of tests to make sure she has not broken anything or caused any more serious damage.

She is also having meetings with police on Wednesday to give a statement about what happened.

Rose's friend and fellow entertainer Bobby Urey, who she has known for the past 30 years said: "Rose is a wonderfully charismatic lady.

"Karaoke would definitely not be the same without her.

"Rose has a repertoire of about 200 songs, along with a fan following of all ages.

"She is without doubt one of the oldest and most consistent karaoke singers on the planet.

"Rose pursues life as someone half her years and amazes those who ask her age.

"Even at the age of 92 there was no way of stopping her until this traffic accident."

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