We talked to her about stroppy Canadian rock stars, No 1s, and what it was likle being one of the most famous women in pop.

She begins with an apology: "Can I say sorry now to all hairdressers for that haircut in the 1980s."

It's not often a pop diva is often so contrite, but the singer, perhaps more than most in that decade, was responsible for the horror that was the permed 'cobra'.

"Yes. I was responsible for a lot of bad hair dos," she laughed.

But the former T'Pau singer was always more than just a flamboyant barnet, armed as she was with one of the most striking voices around.

Huge hits such as Heart And Soul, Secret Garden and karaoke favourite China In Your Hand made T'Pau, named after a female Vulcan character in Star Trek, one of the biggest-selling bands of the late 1980s, with the album Bridge Of Spies shifting four million copies.

When China In Your Hand, occupied the No1 slot in the UK for five weeks in 1987, T'Pau mania had reached its giddiest heights.

But not everyone was so enamoured. "We got to No1 when we were on tour with Bryan Adams," she remembers.

"We screamed so loud he came out of his room and shouted at us like kids."

And such fame, as she was to find out, came at a cost.

"My two minutes of being Madonna, were when we'd sold out the Hammersmith Odeon, in London, for two weeks.

"We had to send out a roadie dressed in a red wig as a decoy so all the papers followed him. I feel really sorry for people who go through that."

"I'd probably stop for them (the paparazzi) now though," she joked.

However, as is the age old story in the music industry, the success wasn't too last, and by the 1990s the band found itself out of fashion.

"I went into a bit of tailspin and it was a bit of a bad time," she confessed.

"No one seemed to give a damn. The whole world of music had changed to bands like The Stone Roses and The Farm."

Though she enjoyed a modicum of success performing and recording in America, she returned to the UK and tried her hand at acting, appearing on the West End stage in Mum's The Word, and on BBC daytime drama Doctors.

However, the microphone always beckoned, and the mum-of-two recently joined the Back To The 80s tour scene with such names as The Human League, Bananarama and ABC.

Another big name who has played on these tours, Toyah Willcox, will also appear at the Bents Park gig on Sunday.

Carol said: "We frequently work together. Toyah and I are often involved in the tours where we have up to 10 artists on the bill.

"People in the 35-plus age group want to party to the soundtrack of their youth. The reception we get is usually amazing."

So, having played in some of the biggest venues in the world, what sort of show does she prefer?

"All gigs are great, be it a stadium gig or a sweaty little club.But we performed at Alnwick Castle last year, which, as the Americans say, was 'awesome'."

Asked what people can expect from her show, she replied: "There will be lots of good songs. It's about half an hour long and I'll sing maybe six songs including Heart And Soul, Valentine, China In Your Hand and Secret Garden.

"I love and appreciate people who come and see me."

As for the hair, Carol had this warning: "I'll try to make my hair as big as possible for people so they can see me."

You have been warned!