TONIGHT Englebert Humper-dinck aims to score the first British Eurovision victory in 15 years.

The last wouldn’t have been possible without Swindon – although a top-flight songwriter and a world famous band probably helped...

If Englebert wins with Love Sets You Free, it will be our sixth top spot in a competition we’ve been entering since the second Eurovision in 1957.

Our last victory was in 1997, courtesy of Katrina and the Waves, and the Swindon connection was celebrated on our front page on Monday, May 5.

“Swindon’s very own song is top of the Euro pops,” we wrote.

“Love Shine a Light, specially written for Swindon Samaritans, swept the board at the Eurovision Song Contest for Britain’s first victory for 16 years.

“Katrina and the Waves, who had a major hit 12 years ago with Walkin’ on Sunshine, romped home on Saturday night leaving runners-up Ireland and the rest of the countries trailing far behind.

“The song was written by the band’s drummer, Alex Cooper, whose brother William is a Swindon Samaritans volunteer.

“William had asked his brother for a song which could be used in publicity for the branch’s 30th anniversary.”

Six years later, as Liverpool boy-girl duo Jemini prepared to sing Cry Baby for Britain in Riga, we tracked down Cambridge-based Alex and asked him for his verdict. He confessed it wasn’t the kind of music he’d buy, but added: “That is of no significance when it comes to whether the song is going to be successful or not.”

Unfortunately for Jemini, Cry Baby turned out not to be the judges’ kind of music, either, and they trailed in last of the 26-strong field with no points.

Members of the public who we polled about the contest weren’t enthusiastic. “The contest is a farce and I haven’t got a clue when it is,” said one, and added: “I definitely won’t be watching it.”

Another said: “I’m just not interested and I don’t feel the voting is honest - it’s more political than anything.”

Prior to 1997, the Adver’s coverage of the contest was anything but fulsome.

In 1967, the year Sandie Shaw delivered Britain’s first Eurovision victory, we ran a photograph of her carrying a puppet, with the caption: “Holding a puppet on a string, British pop singer Sandie Shaw poses outside St Stephan’s Cathedral in Vienna today. Tomorrow, Sandie will be singing Puppet on a String, the British entry in the Eurovision song contest in Vienna.”

Two years later, on the day Britain came equal first with three other countries, courtesy of Boom Bang-a-Bang by Lulu, we ran a small photo of her on the TV page, next to one of suave actor Peter Wyngarde.

Britain’s next victory was in 1976, when Brotherhood of Man performed Save Your Kisses for Me in the Netherlands, we mentioned it in the TV listings with the cryptic words: “Brotherhood of Man take a deep breath for Britain.”

Five years later, as Bucks Fizz rehearsed Making Your Mind Up in Ireland and presumably tested quick-release fastenings on removable skirts, our TV listings said: “The Euro kitsch fest returns with more puppets on strings and a veneer of interest in Ireland’s culture.”