Sting paid tribute to the late-great Luciano Pavarotti over the weekend, saying the tenor had a “big appetite for everything.”

The former Police singer was one of a string of high profile artists who attended a weekend of celebrations in Petra, Jordan on the first anniversary of his death.

Titled 'Salute Petra – Celebrating The Life of Luciano Pavarotti', the event was organised by Harvey Goldsmith, the man behind the Led Zeppelin reunion and Live Earth concerts.

Speaking on Saturday night, Sting said: “He had a big appetite this man, he had a big appetite for everything. He had an appetite for life but it was matched by a huge generosity with spirit.

“Luciano was a big man, he had a big heart and that generosity was transformed to his voice and when we heard his voice, all of us were richer.”

(by Scott Colothan)