A BLUE plaque unveiled on the old house of Sir Edward Elgar in Worcester has hit the right note with music and heritage enthusiasts alike.

The plaque was unveiled by Worcester MP Robin Walker at the house in College Precints, near the Cathedral, at 9am on Saturday.

The plaque celebrates the life of one of Worcester's most cherished sons, Master of the King's Musick (corr) and composer of Land of Hope and Glory and the Enigma Variations.

It provides a link to the past during what has been a period of significant change and upheaval for this section of the city.

The old Giffard Hotel nearby is undergoing demolition ahead of the Cathedral Square redevelopment project.

The Worcester Civic Society Plaque was funded by the current owner of the house, Guy Little, and wife Jeannette who have turned it into a holiday home.

Jeannette Little heard the house was for sale while at the hairdressers and, after discussing it with her husband, they decided to buy it.

She said: "The location could not be any better."

Mr Walker in his address referred to a Tweet from the Bishop of Worcester about Elgar (the statue) turning his back on the 'monstrosity' opposite Worcester Cathedral (the Giffard) for the last time before he unveiled the plaque in what marks a new chapter for this part of the city.

He said: "No-one is more evocative of Worcester and England than Elgar.

"There is nothing that quite says England like the first strains of the Enigma Variations as you're coming out of Worcester Cathedral."

Mr Little said Elgar's former home was now 'Worcester city centre cottage' after the family bought it last May.

It was let out to the first customers just before Christmas.

He said it was a great honour to welcome dignitaries to the house, including Worcester's MP and the Mayor of Worcester, Cllr Roger Knight, the Dean of Worcester, the Right Reverend Peter Atkinson, Peter Nardone, organist and director of music at Worcester Cathedral, a representative of the Elgar Society, Jon Goldswain and Phil Douce, chairman of Worcester Civic Society.

Mr Little said of the plaque: "It is helping us and helping the city at the same time."

Jon Goldswain, vice chairman of the West Midlands Society and a self-confessed 'Elgar nut case', said: "Elgar's music gets to you somehow. This plaque is great and not before time too."

The Elgar Society was responsible for installing an earlier plaque which remains and features a portrait of the composer in profile and the dates he lived at the house (1861 to 1863).

The new blue plaque replaces a plastic one which had begun to fall into disrepair and complements the existing red plaque installed three years ago.

Cllr Roger Knight, the Mayor of Worcester, said: "It is great to see these plaques going up.

"Not only do they mark significant events and locations from the past but they add value to the centre and interest to a delightful house like this.

"It is great to see Elgar's plaque within sight of the Elgar statue."