WHEN 77-year-old Lily Rolfe saw violinist André Rieu performing at the Royal Variety Performance on TV, she knew she was in love.

The Moulsecoomb pensioner was so enthralled that she constructed a shrine to the musician in her front room.

And not satisfied with that, she installed a life-sized cutout of the Dutch violinist in her bedroom.

Lily, who lives in Hillside Way, told The Argus: “He’s got calves like violins and I love him so much.

“I’ve got one CD of his which I play all week, Monday to Sunday.”

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Pictures of André, which she wants buried with her when she dies, have been placed on nearly every wall in the house.

The front room’s shrine contains a plethora of images collected from DVD boxes, along with internet pictures her neighbour printed out for her.

But perhaps her most prized possession is the life-sized cutout of André.

Every day Lily says good morning and goodnight to her cardboard composer.

She said: “His music is just so wonderful and relaxing and André is absolutely gorgeous and loveable.

“I just want to give him a cuddle.”

Despite being contender for the title of the world’s biggest André Rieu fan, she has never seen him in person.

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Lily’s husband, Ron, died in 1992 aged 55 following a battle with a tumour.

The couple had only been married for two years and he too has his own shrine in Lily’s front room.

She said: “I only have two wishes in my life, and one of them will never happen.

“I won’t be able to see Ron again, so meeting André is my only dream.”

Lily has kept Argus cuttings of all the times her hero is mentioned in advertising.

But sadly she can’t afford to go and see him perform.

She said: “I would give everything I have to see him just once.

“I would love to see him performing in front of me so I can see every part.

“And if I ever met him, I wouldn’t be able to talk, I would probably go dizzy and faint.”

Steve Martin, Lily’s neighbour for 30 years, prints out pictures of André for her walls.

The 63-year-old said: “I’m the sidekick in this whole thing. I do it so I can make her happy.”