ONE of the hottest bands on the Sixties circuit return to Clacton this weekend to celebrate the Summer of Love.

Tribute band New Amen Corner are joined by Mike Pender of The Searchers and former Manfred Mann frontman Mike d’Abo, who took over vocal duties when Paul Jones left in 1966.

Pender emerged from the Liverpool 'Beat Boom', which also spawned the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Merseybeats, the Hollies and the Swinging Blue Jeans.

Debut album Meet the Searchers was released in August 1963 and contained the classic Needles and Pins.

The hits continued with Sugar and Spice, Sweets For My Sweet , Don’t Throw Your Love Away and When You Walk In The Room.

Pender also brought his distinctive jangly 12-string guitar sound to Searchers' recordings.

In 1966 Mike d’Abo found himself leading the Manfred Mann hit machine.

The Band of Angels man featured on Mighty Quinn, Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James and Ha Ha Said The Clown.

His songwriting skills continued after the Manfreds split in 1969, penning Build Me Up Buttercup for The Foundations and Handbags And Gladrags, which became a massive hit for Chris Farlowe, and later Rod Stewart and the Stereophonics.

New Amen Corner claim to be Europe's leading Sixties "revivalists" and perform the decade's best -known hits in a two-hour multimedia show.

Bringing On Back The Sixties is at the West Cliff Theatre on Saturday, July 8, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £20.50 from the box office on 01255 433344.