A GRANDAD who devoted 35 years of his life to teaching children across Southend spent lockdown recording his own solo album... from the comfort of his spare room.

Steve Leftley, 68, has always had a passion for music, but his busy career as a maths teacher took up much of his time.

It was only after his retirement and when the pandemic hit he could pursue his teenage dream once more.

Steve, from Southchurch, has taught at the King Edmund School in Rochford for the last ten years – having previously taught at Sweyne Park School, Rayleigh, Shoebury High School and Eastwood Academy.

His album, called Brave New Morning, will be available for download on iTunes, Spotify and Amazon from today.

He said: “I’ve always played music on and off for years, I used to play in groups as a teenager. In the Seventies we actually played at a concert at Roots Hall.

“After that it all slowed down where I became a teacher and was raising my family, so I just never had the time. Now I’ve retired that’s not so much an issue.

“I’ve been working on this album since January, where I play bass, guitar and did a bit of vocals too. It’s such a relief to finally have it finished and ready for people to hear.”

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Having played all of the instruments featured in his twelve-track debut, Steve touched on a whole host of topics – including lockdown, Covid restrictions and the new normal.

The dad-of-three added: “We’ve had Covid going for the last 18 months and last year I didn’t find too bad, but Christmas and particularly January to February was a depressing time. Like a lot of people we found it difficult.

“We found it really hard not being able to go to London to look after our granddaughter Jessica, who is 20 months old. So it was difficult not seeing her, and one of my sons who lives in Edinburgh I’ve only recently been able to see with everything going on.

“But I had music to get me through it. Around three or four of the songs are to do with the pandemic, touching on having to keep your distance and how strange it was when Covid first hit, what with barely any traffic on the roads.

“While some are just general songs, one of which is a lullaby for Jessica called Sweet Dreams (For Jess). Another is called Chalkwell Beach and On the Sea Wall, so there are also references to Southend too.”