Irish singer Van Morrison left some fans feeling short-changed after ending his concert halfway through his final song.

The star walked off stage at the Brighton Dome on the dot of 9.30pm without a word to the audience and did not come back for an encore.

He had been on stage since 8pm but his decision to leave before finishing his hit Gloria left some fans, who had paid between £40 and £110 for a ticket, angry.

Those paying for the most expensive tickets, would have been paying £1.22 a minute, not far off the cost of calling a premium-rate phoneline.

The concert had already attracted some controversy after the teetotal star banned fans from drinking at the bar before or during the performance as he was worried it would put him off.

The Belfast-born star had a spell of drinking problems during the 1970s and 1980s but the latest ban was because he has been angry in the past about crowds wandering backwards and forwards to the bar instead of sitting and listening.

Concert-goers said the bar area, which is normally packed beforehand, was quiet ahead of Friday’s concert, although pubs near the venue were busier than normal.

Staff said there had not been any problems as most fans were already aware of the ban.

Morrison’s actual performance, which featured 15 songs and a ten-piece band, was highly praised, with the star performing well known numbers such as Have I Told You Lately and The Way Young Lovers Do.

But the abruptness of the ending left some concert-goers unhappy.

Ben Peters, 52, of Hanover said: "The drink ban was just about bearable but to go before even finishing the final song is a real cheek. It doesn't show very much respect for the fans."

Argus reviewer Duncan Hall said: “In these penny-pinching days he could perhaps have offered his loyal fans slightly better value for money, especially now he is charging stadium prices.”

Morrison is known as a temperamental performer who has walked off stage in the past when angry with the crowd or has refused to play his best known songs.