Tom Jones' Paul McCartney regret that he's held for more than 50 years

Sir Tom Jones has enjoyed an incredibly successful career but he recently opened up about a regret he has held for more than 50 years. The legendary Welsh singer, 84, has enjoyed more than six decades in show business, selling more than 100m records worldwide and recently playing two nights at Bootle's Salt and Tar.

However, there was a hit early in his career that he missed out on. Last month, during the Grand Finale of The Voice UK, Sir Tom spoke about how he missed out on recording The Beatles' classic 'The Long and Winding Road'.

This series' winner Ava performed the song in the Grand Finale and Sir Tom, who is in his second spell as a judge on the talent show, told host Emma Willis that Paul McCartney wrote the song for him. He said: "I've got a story about that song.

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"I was having a drink with Paul McCartney in the late '60s, and I said, 'Paul, I'd love you to write me a song,' and he said, 'Okay' and all of a sudden, my recording manager came to the house and he said, 'Paul McCartney has sent you the song that he promised to write you'. So I put it on, and it was 'The Long and Winding Road'.

"Honestly, we couldn't get it out in time because I had a song coming out. But I have always loved that song, and every time I hear anybody do it, I am thinking, 'Oh my god, I should have recorded that song'."

'The Long and Winding Road' featured on The Beatles' final album - 'Let it Be', which was released in 1970. It was also released by The Beatles as a single in May of that year, following their break-up, and became the group's 20th Billboard number one in the US.

It has since been covered by a range of artists, including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, George Michael and Cilla Black.

Sir Paul is said to have initially come up with the concept for the song on a visit to High Park Farm, which he bought in 1966. In a previous interview he said: "I just sat down at my piano in Scotland, started playing and came up with that song, imagining it was going to be done by someone like Ray Charles. I have always found inspiration in the calm beauty of Scotland and again it proved the place where I found inspiration."

A demo version of the song was recorded by Sir Paul when he returned to England, as part of a recording session for the White Album. It was then offered to Sir Tom on the condition he would release it as his next single, but the Welshman's record label already had plans to release 'Without Love'.