PREVIOUSLY unreleased recordings of Newlyn folk singer Brenda Wootton have been discovered by her former sound engineer.

The singer, who is originally from the port, started her career in folk clubs in West Penwith.

For 20 years she took Cornish music, traditions and culture out into the wider world, performing across the Celtic nations and as far away as Australia.

The discovery of these unheard recordings came about by chance. John Knight had a recording studio in the 1980s and was her sound engineer and co-producer during the peak of her international career. He came across two tapes and the writing on the boxes read: "Brenda ???".

Friend Gloria Knight said: "These have transpired to be unique for two reasons.

"Firstly, these live tracks have never been heard and secondly the tapes are still in a good condition.

"Brenda wanted this concert recorded in front of a live audience to capture the atmosphere and humour of the occasion.

"Her warmth and character connected with the French psyche; they adored 'Mama Brenda'."

In June 1984, Brenda, along with Camborne Town Band and the cream of local musicians, played a series of performances at Bobino, a theatre in the heart of Paris.

"It's remarkable that these tapes have survived. Without going into the technical detail, some professional tape from this era has proved to be unstable, rendering the master tracks unusable. By chance, the concert was recorded on a different brand of tape, hence, the original master tape survives in intact."

The tracks are said to represent Brenda at her zenith. She continued: "To the French she may have been La Grande Cornouaillaise but she will be remembered as Gwylan Gwavas – Seagull of Newlyn – a local girl who began her career at Piper's Folk Club and left no doubt that Cornwall is the land she loved."