A THREE-piece ukulele band is spreading joy to dementia patients and elderly residents by touring care homes.

Jolly Boys Outing’s repertoire of wartime and vintage classics lets residents relive their youth.

The music has a therapeutic effect on people living with dementia and triggers memories which sees them recall song lyrics as though they listened to them yesterday.

Witnessing this first-hand with his parents, who were both residents at Carnarvon Care Home in Clacton, is what prompted Len Rowney, 69, to form the group with long-time friend John Lane, 67, of Hornchurch, and Bob Siggery, 69, a retired Clacton police officer.

Len’s mum Sylvia, 93, died of health complications resulting from dementia in October 2016.

His father, Len, had a ten-year battle with bladder cancer but died in April 2014 after contracting sepsis.

Doctors at Colchester General Hospital gave him just three months to live. He died aged 89.

Len said: “I joined my first group at 14 playing the electric guitar, which my dad took me to buy alongside an amplifier and he was also our manager.

“It’s not until I got older I appreciated what he’d done because as a child you take it for granted.

" My parents weren’t rich but they invested in me so at age eight I began to train in classical guitar.

“When my mum was alive I can remember going to her room one day at the care home singing an old song under my breath.

"Then she took over the song but yet she couldn’t remember what she’d ate for breakfast 30 minutes before.

“Seeing how favourably residents reacted to the music when entertainers came in is what moved me to do something.”

Since December 2016, the semi-professional musicians have performed weekly in care homes across Tendring and Colchester.

Bookings are already coming in for Christmas.

The trio like to live up to their name – inspired by an episode of Only Fools and Horses – so interact with their crowd, who they bring extra instruments for.

He said: “Apart from entertaining them it’s so rewarding. Even those with severe dementia, the minute we start playing they sing along and tap their feet.

“Sometimes we’re heckled by residents when we turn up with our equipment and told how terrible we’ll be but then it’s all laughing and joking. It’s great to see.”

To book Jolly Boys Outing call Len Rowney on 07917692922.