POP icon of the 1980s Hazel O’Connor was inspired by a letter from her mum to write a special song for her latest album, See You Again.

The song, I’ll Always Be There, came from a line in a letter she discovered after her mum had died.

“In the letter she wrote to me there was a great metaphor about pointing to a star in the sky - I will always be there,’’ said Hazel. “Joyce O’Connor was an amazing woman.’’

Hazel and Cormac de Barra, who plays Irish harp, will be singing songs from the new album, her chart hits, some songs from the Breaking Glass albums and telling stories. The show will be followed by a meet and greet session.

“It is the Hazel and Cormac show, very different from the band - more intimate - and Cormac is such an amazing player,’’ she said.

The album was recorded in the home of Moya Brennan, lead singer with Clannad, in Ireland.

“She gave me the recording studio for free and her daughter Ashling and Moya sang on the album,’’ said Hazel, who was staying with a friend in Kent to rest her foot, before heading out on tour, after an operation to straighten one of her toes. “I am watching lots of box sets and daytime TV!’’ she added.

The singer said she couldn’t wait to get back on her feet to go out walking with her dogs, which she took on tour with her, after taking them to her Paris home for the first time.

“Lali’s crazy - she even left poo on stage one night! She needs to mend her ways... but like all dog lovers I aways have poo bags in my pocket. And it is good fun going round with the dogs. It’s all rock ‘n’ roll!’’

Hazel first came to fame in 1980 when she starred as Kate in the film Breaking Glass. She also wrote and sang songs for the soundtrack. The film was BAFTA nominated. The album of the soundtrack included top 10 hit singles Will You and Eighth Day and when Hazel toured with it she had Duran Duran as her support band.

“My manager had good taste and good ideas. Duran Duran came on tour. Me and the boys in my band all ran out to listen to Planet Earth,’’ she said.

The singer is still very much the feisty eco warrior when it comes to her songwriting, and recently she watched the TV series Exodus about the plight of the refugees. She says it really touched her.

“It reminded me of the situation in Europe in the 1930s. My song Wakey Wakey on the album is about the homeless and travelling across the seas, about having a dream,’’ she said.

Hazel is a vegetarian and recorded a single for VIVA, Vegetarians’ International Voice for Animals.

“It was back in 1984 I saw a TV show where these little piggies were being led up this ramp to go to be slaughtered - it was the look in their eyes. I wanted to do something about it and the first thing was to become vegetarian,’’ she said, and true to her word, she has helped where she can ever since.

The singer has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including David Bowie and George Michael. but her feet have always been firmly planted on the ground. The Coventry-born singer stays true to her music and her stand for all underdogs.

Hazel O’Connor comes to Swindon’s Arts Centre, Devizes Road, Old Town on Sunday, April 29 at 8pm Tickets are £21 from 01793 524481 or visit www.swindontheatres.co.uk - Flicky Harrison