Letter reveals agony of Cliff Richard's break-up with dancer girlfriend

However a letter penned by Cliff – now Sir Cliff – ending his love affair with Delia has emerged. She met the superstar when she was a dancer at one of his early London shows and the pair dated for 18 months.

But as his glittering career took off, Sir Cliff, just 21 at the time, decided his showbiz ambitions had to take priority and he sent her an emotional letter from Australia where he was touring.

By this time he had already had two UK number one hits – but the letter shows the turmoil the singer was in as he made the decision to let her go.

The faded blue letter has emerged after Delia, ne Wicks, originally from Hunslet in Leeds, died last Saturday, aged 71, of cancer. The treasured memento has been proudly kept by her only sibling Graham Wicks, 65.

Dated October 21, 1961, and sent from Melbourne, Australia, it reads: "I've just had to make, probably, one of the biggest decisions I'm ever going to make and I'm hoping that it won't hurt you too much.

"Delia, I want you to try and understand the position I'm in. Being a singer I'm going to have to give up many things in life. But being a pop singer I have to give up one very priceless thing – the right to have any lasting relationship with any special girl.

"Delia, you must find someone who is free to love you as you deserve to be loved, and is able to marry you.

"I couldn't give up my career, besides the fact that my mothers and sisters, since my fathers (sic) death, rely on me completely. I have showbiz in my blood now and I would be lost without it."

Mr Wicks, who lives in Leeds, said he met Sir Cliff when he came to visit Delia at their home in Leeds.

He said: "They started going out together for about 18 months. He did come to our house when I met him. He was appearing at the Odeon Cinema in Leeds."

"He was a very, very pleasant man, you know," he said.

Delia left home when she was 15 and went to London where she appeared in various shows. During this time, she got a part as a dancer alongside the pop star.

Mr Wicks's daughter, Christine, said: "All my Auntie Delia would say was if they went out on a date, they had to go separately."

Mr Wicks added: "He told her that his career had to come first and that he was very, very sorry. I think she was devastated."

He said she went on to appear with the Black and White Minstrel Show.

She retired from the stage in her late 30s, married a property tycoon and became Delia Pyle before later divorcing.

A spokeswoman for the Cliff Richard Organisation said: "We had heard of Delia's death. Sir Cliff is overseas at present but we have forwarded a message to let him know."