I've suffered from chronic cattarh for over twelve months now, and it has effectively kept me out of singing during that period and often rendered me unable to speak. Although I've had doctors and specialists and the devil knows who looking into it, nothing they came up with could shift it.

In desperation I went into a branch of Holland and Barrett, which is a health food chain store we have in Britain, and explained the problem to the assistant. He suggested I cut out dairy products, and he sold me a bottle of Potters Chest Mixture.

I took it home and took a spoonful. Ten minutes the cattarh had gone, and I started singing like a bird. Well, one that's smoked 60 fags a day for the past 40 years at any rate.

I also cut down on dairy products and that's got me to where I sound like a bird that smokes only 40 fags a day.

All joking apart, I strongly (recommend) anyone who's suffering to try the stuff. And I've since discovered they sell it in Tesco.