“VOICE of velvet” adopted Bradfordian Tino Valdi, who achieved worldwide success as a singer, has died at the age of 90.

Volodymyr Luciw, better known by his stage name Tino Valdi, settled in Bradford after coming to the city from Ukraine following the Second World War.

A winner of a host of awards for his singing, Mr Valdi toured with Sir Bruce Forsyth, sung at World Fairs and met Pope John Paul II throughout his long and illustrious career.

Born in the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine in 1929, Mr Valdi grew up during the war, witnessing horrendous atrocities, and at 15 was captured by the Nazis to build anti-tank defences.

In 1944 he was taken to North Germany to work in the mines, where he stayed until the end of the war.

He found himself as a displaced person in the British sector of Germany, where he met famous Ukranian musician Hryhory Nazarenko who taught him to play the bandura.

After a few years, he left Germany and came to Bradford, working in the textile mills of Saltaire, where his dream of becoming a singer came to fruition.

After taking lessons in Bradford he secured a scholarship to Trinity College of Music in London, waiting tables in the evenings. He then secured another scholarship at the National Academy of St Cecilia in Rome.

As his career took off he assumed the name Tino Valdi to achieve greater success, performing at the 1958 World Fair in Belgium.

His reputation led to performances at the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall.

As his star rose he was invited to join Bruce Forsyth’s national touring variety show

In 1961 he competed for England at the third Coupe d’Europe International and was part of the team which won the competition, with judges saying he had a “voice like velvet”.

During the 1960s and 70s he performed on radio, television and in many concert halls in the UK and abroad.

In the late 80s he had to hang up his microphone after getting cancer, and embarked on a new career promoting music, art and literature.

He coordinated the 1,000th anniversary of the Baptism of Ukraine in Rome in 1988 and countless other events across the world.

In 2008 he was awarded the Order of Merit, 2nd degree, by Ukranian president Victor Yushchenko and was handed the Lifetime Achievement award by the British Music Hall Society on his 88th birthday.

Mr Luciw died on September 7 aged 90 and is survived by wife Lesia, daughters Anne-Marie, Oksana and Ivanka, and several grandchildren.