A former holiday camp entertainer from Caister, near Yarmouth, narrowly missed the final of the UK Songwriting Contest 2009 with his two entries in the folk/country section and adult contemporary category.

A former holiday camp entertainer from Caister, near Yarmouth, narrowly missed the final of the UK Songwriting Contest 2009 with his two entries in the folk/country section and adult contemporary category.

Duncan Clarke, 35, currently working as a carer for adults with learning difficulties, reached the semi-final stage of the competition, which is judged by music industry experts and attracted 6,000 entries.

He was told that his folk/country entry, entitled Down 'n' Out Dole Scrounging Son of a Gun, narrowly missed out on a place in the final four.

Mr Clarke, who worked as an entertainer on holiday parks in Norfolk and Sussex for over a decade, said: “I have written more than 400 songs since my days at Flegg High School, in Martham. I remember my first effort was a rap about the fast bowler Graham Dilley and Kent cricket.”