Manufactured music spawns fickle fans who are quick to ditch their pop idols for the latest flavour-of-the-day.

But one Brighton woman is teaching her children a thing or two about devotion and hopes to meet her hero after 30 years of worshipping from afar.

Karen Nice has been obsessed with the squeaky-clean American musician Donny Osmond, one of the original boy band superstars, since 1972.

While her peers moved on to pastures new, the 44-year-old's dedication has remained unwavering, despite the disapproval of friends and family.

And when Donny comes to the Brighton Centre in March, she is determined to fulfil her life-long dream and finally meet him.

Karen, 44, of Ashurst Road, Brighton, said: "Everyone thinks I'm really sad but gosh, I'm so excited about going to see him - I couldn't believe it when I read in The Argus that he was coming here.

"I've followed him since 1972 when I first saw him on The London Palladium on TV. I began by liking his music and his looks but now it is everything about him.

"Although I haven't met him, in interviews he seems to have a really nice personality. Even if it takes until I'm 60, I still want to meet him."

Karen's house groans under the weight of two shrines dedicated to Donny.

Among the hoards of memorabilia is the complete backlog of Osmonds' World magazines, every album featuring Donny ever made, right up to the recently- released Somewhere In Time, as well as autographs and a Baker Boy hat, which became Donny's trademark in the Seventies.

But Karen can only listen to the records when she is alone.

She said: "I have two places where I keep all his stuff - in the lounge and in the loft. My family is okay about it but they draw the line at having to listen to the music. So I put on his records when I'm doing the ironing or something and there is no one else around."

Karen's son Daniel, 18, said the family left her to it.

He said: "I think she is mad. Whenever she puts on the music, we just go upstairs and do other things."

Daniel said his sisters, Gemma and Natasha, went through a phase of worshipping boy bands but they soon moved on.

He said: "My sisters used to be into all the boy bands, like Boyzone, but while they've grown out of it she's still very much in love with Donny."

Although Karen rarely uses computers, there is one web site she knows very well.

She said: "The Donny fan page is the only reason I use the computer. It means I can find out what he is up to."

Karen said if she did get to meet her idol, she would not be too nervous.

She said: "I've gone past the stage when I'd be really embarrassed about speaking to him. Although I'm not really sure exactly what I would say.

"I don't think my husband would be jealous - Donny is married after all."

Donny Osmond is playing at the Brighton Centre on March 12. For tickets, call 0870 9009100.