Smash hit

After more than an hour the bulk of the fans got what they seemed to want most - a rendition of Stairway To Heaven.

Plant seemed to shake away the years and get livelier as the show went on and after almost two hours, when they bowed out on Kashmir, he was positively skipping about the stage.

Page responded once again and when the lights went out a massive demand for an encore brought them back to play Whole Lotta Love.

The adulation of 20,000 almost equally tired fans ringing in their ears they trooped away into the darkness.

For Leslie Wilde, 55, and her brother Steve, 43, getting a ticket for tonight's gig was a dream come true a second time.

The brother and sister from Chicago had been due to see the band at their next concert in the American city 27 years ago when the tour was called off because of drummer John Bonham's death.

Steve said: "I thought I would never ever get the chance to see Led Zeppelin again.

"When I found out I'd got the tickets we just rushed to sort out everything else like flights and hotels.

"To be honest I think we'd have swum here if we had had to."

His sister said: "I suppose you could call me an old hippy because I was a huge Zeppelin fan the first time round but I too never got to see them.

"This whole evening is in a way about memories."

Her brother added: "I heard about the last tour being cancelled on my car radio and I couldn't believe it when this one was delayed.

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