Retired builder Allan Cousins is releasing his first single at the age of 78.

Mr Cousins, accompanied on the track by members of his family, will be releasing his single A Lonely Dream, more than 60 years after he first started writing it.

As a teenager, Mr Cousins, from Nettleton, often toured the local pubs with his older brothers Tony, now 86, and Roy, now 92, performing as the Acton Turville Boys.

“The tune kept coming into my head over the years but I never finished it,” said Mr Cousins.

“I’ve always wanted to release the single and I’ve always been trying to get something done about it but it’s only this year that I’ve finished it.

“I didn’t have any idea that I would get the chance to finish writing it and then produce it.”

An exciting opportunity for his sons Jon and Simon Cousins, who are musicians with Wiltshire folk rock band Ophiuchus, got Mr Cousins motivated to finish the piece.

“A couple of years ago, my sons were rehearsing for a performance at Glastonbury Festival in 2010, and I thought I’d better get cracking and finish the song as you never know what might happen,” he said.

“A Lonely Dream is a song about being apart from the one you love; missing someone and how it feels when you can’t wait to be with them again.

“I sang the tune to my wife Jean, and our granddaughter Olivia recorded it on her phone. “She played it to her dad, Simon, who recorded a piano and drum arrangement for me to listen to.

“My other son Jon added guitar and Olivia played bass and harmonium.

“I know self-praise is no recommendation, but I am overjoyed with the way it has turned out.

“It’s great for me to listen to but it might not be for anybody else.”

Mr Cousins’ son Simon, who lives in Liverpool, said: “Dad’s so thrilled with the song that I have arranged for it to be formally released as a bit of fun.

“To me it is very special to have a record of us all playing together for the future.”

A Lonely Dream is due for release as a download from iTunes and Amazon tomorrow.