THIRTY years ago this month, the man on his way from pop stardom to modern-day sainthood paused to congratulate local charity fundraisers.

Bob Geldof had already masterminded the charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas? and would, later that year, organise Live Aid, one of the biggest televised concert events ever mounted.

He was at Poole Arts Centre for a gig with his band the Boomtown Rats, where he urged people to donate to the Ethiopian Famine Appeal on the way out.

“There is so much going on in this area, it’s just brilliant,” he told the Echo.

He praised two Bournemouth businessman, Brian McCance and Steven Phillips, of BD Videos in Wimborne Road, Kinson, who had raised £138 through a raffle for a Band Aid video.

He also signed posters and photos for three pupils of Herbert Carter School in Poole, who were planning to auction the items to add to the cash the school had already raised.

It was one of several visits by the star to Dorset over the years.

In 2002, he was looking for a taxi in the centre of Wimborne, ahead of a gig at the Tivoli, when mayor Anthony Oliver seized the chance to enlist him in the ceremonial planting of the first tree in the town’s physick garden.

And in 2004, he was at the national council meeting of the Townswomen’s Guild to share his views on fathers’ rights in child custody disputes.