Some 300 staff members from the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust will be in the audience for the second Sir Elton John concert at Vicarage Road on Monday, after Watford FC donated the tickets.

The generous move from the club – which will have cost around £40,000 – is another example of the strong links the Hornets have with the NHS following their work to help with the administering of vaccine, provision of refreshments and also rest areas for staff at neighbouring Watford General Hospital during the Covid pandemic.

Andrew McMenemy, chief people officer at the NHS Trust, said: “We are so grateful for this very generous move from the club. It caused quite a stir and we had almost 1,000 staff apply for the tickets. Everyone is very excited and looking forward to it.”

The staff from the NHS will be easy to spot on the evening, as they will all be given NHS Pride-coloured flags to wave.

• The weather forecast for the two concerts at Vicarage Road is currently looking favourable, with sunny spells and a high of 23°C on Sunday and similar conditions on Monday.

• If those attending the concert want to get an idea of the tracks Sir Elton is likely to be performing, then go to www.setlist.fm and search for the set list of his most recent concerts at venues such as Ashton Gate (Bristol), London’s Hyde Park, and the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.