Guernsey Dolly Parton superfan's grief for his 'fairy godmother'

A man whose home is packed with Dolly Parton memorabilia said he was "devastated" by the death of the country music icon.

Lee Smith, 36, from Guernsey, has spent nearly two decades building his Dolly Parton collection featuring signed albums, dolls, perfume, wigs, records and replicas inspired by the singer.

Speaking among shelves filled with memorabilia, Smith said: "I was devastated. I didn't believe it at first."

He said Parton's storytelling and songwriting had inspired him and helped give him confidence as a teenager. He said she had felt "almost like a fairy godmother".

Parton, whose career spanned more than 60 years, died aged 80 following a brief battle with cancer.

She wrote more than 3,000 songs and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. She was also known for her charitable work, including her Imagination Library literacy programme.

Now, alongside fans paying tribute around the world, Smith said he was mourning a star who had been part of his life for nearly 20 years.

Smith, who has a leg tattoo in honour of Parton, said his admiration for the singer began when he was seven years old, listening to her music on cassette tapes in the car with his parents.

Smith said the music remained the most important part of her legacy.

"My favourite piece of my collection? I'm going to say it is just the music," he said.

Smith met Parton once at Wembley Arena in London when he was 17.

"It was only five minutes, but that five minutes felt like a whole hour," he said.

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