Tweet success for Gary Barlow’s No 1 fan

Gary Barlow superfan Sue Smith is hoping her idol will sing at her birthday party after bombarding him with nearly 5000 messages.

Married Sue, 49, set up an account on the social media site Twitter in a bid to get the Take That star to her 50th.

Since April last year she has spent all of her spare time on the #getgarytosues50th campaign.

She has sent him an astonishing 4702 messages to date and claims she’s finally had a personal reply from the singer.

Sue was amazed after receiving a private message on Twitter from Gary this week which said: “Sue, you’re a one-off! Love it! See u soon xxx.”

Although he hasn’t yet confirmed whether will be going to the party, Mrs Smith says she is “optimistic” he is planning to sing for her.

“I couldn’t believe it when I received the private message,” she said. “Okay, he hasn’t confirmed anything but the fact he’s said he’ll see me soon leaves me feeling optimistic.

“The thought of meeting him, even if it isn’t on the night of my party, makes me feel sick with this nervous excitement. My stomach literally churns.”

Sue said she strategically sends tweets to the star when he posts on Twitter to give her more chance of him reading them. She also admitted tweeting him in the middle of the night in case he is awake. Her account has been viewed by more than 42,000 people.

“She is so confident of meeting Gary, she’s even had some Barlow shoes made for her 50th bash.

Sue’s daughter Lara, 14, shares her passion. She travels to Take That concerts with her mum and has even joined in the campaign, which now has 322 followers on the social media site.

But husband Graham, 51, says she is “obsessed” with Gary and Mrs Smith admits that her 21-year-old son Luke is “embarrassed” by her.

Meanwhile, a former footballer has launched a campaign to bring Barlow to the Highlands to sing at his wedding.

Ex-Caley Thistle player Chris Finnigan, 28, wants the Take That frontman to perform to his bride-to-be during the wedding on July 3. The singer has said he will sing at three weddings this year as long as the people he performs for are “huge” fans.

He has encouraged them to “stalk” him on Twitter.

Last year the 43-year-old sang a selection of his hits, A Million Love Songs and Relight My Fire, at the wedding of Louise Newman and Mark Francis, both 27.

The former X Factor judge agreed to perform following a year-long secret campaign by the maid-of-honour.

The bride who had just finished her first dance said at the time: “I heard the opening bars to A Million Love Songs and was swaying and singing along when someone called my name.

“I looked round and there was Gary. It was just magical.

“I went up and cupped his face in my hands, then he got down on one knee and sang to me.”