This week I would like to prove to you that fairy stories do exist, even in our cynical old world, although, in truth, I suppose that this is more of a 'fisherman's tale'. So, if you are all seated comfortably, I'll begin.

Once upon a time in a small north Cornish fishing village called Port Isaac, there lived 10 good friends.

Three of them carried on the traditions of their forefathers in the fishing trade.

Come rain or shine, summer or winter, rough or smooth, they would set off in their small boats to reap the harvest beneath the waves, returning to sell their catches so they could support their families.

Their other 'friends', although employed as 'landlubbers', were anything but, as they all had their own connections to the sea that crashed on the rocks just outside the Platt (harbour).

They had served as coast guards or lifeboat men since their youth and had all grown up in and around this tiny alcove in a coast that was, so dramatically, brought to life in the TV drama, Poldark.

In 1995 the original 'band of brothers' decided, as a bit of fun, to sing the old sea songs and shanties handed down by their forbears and to which they added others on their travels.

After day was done and with the light fading they would often be found gathered together in a local pub practising their songs and, over the years, they gained enough proficiency to enable them to gig locally and to issue a couple of albums they produced themselves of their mainly acapella repertoire.

Time passed and very little changed, the tourists came and went and life at sea and on land continued much the same.

Then one day an incident happened that was to change their lives forever, following a holiday by BBC radio presenter, Johnnie Walker in 2009 and his purchase of their two 'homemade' CDs, they were asked to meet with Walker's manager Ian Brown.

Being wary, as small communities often are of 'outsiders', they did not believe what he had to say at first. At best it might be an ill-conceived joke and, at worst, what we call, in modern parlance, a scam.

However, Ian was very persuasive and convinced them of his good intentions to make them all famous and rich!

After negotiations on both sides, he signed them up with the Universal Music Group for a contract worth £1 million and their first commercial album was released the following year.

The album, Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends, was recorded in St Kew Parish Church, Cornwall (2010) and was the first folk recording to reach the top 10 album chart, peaking at number nine.

At this point most stories of this nature would end with the line, "and they all lived happily ever after", but, alas, a tragedy was to mar the perfect progress of these 10 friends, whose promised fame and fortune had come to pass.

It was 2013, and the last day of a small national tour, when a backstage accident involving the band's outstanding lead vocalist, Trevor Grills, and the band's promoter Paul McMullen resulted in the death of both men.

On a cold February morning in the loading bay of Guildford Theatre, a heavy metal door collapsed on them as they unpacked for a sold-out concert. McMullen died at the scene and Grills died three days later in hospital without regaining consciousness.

As a legacy, he left some marvellous recordings and memories behind him, one of which, his moving performance of the song, The Last Leviathan, remains a YouTube favourite to this day.

The maxim, 'the show must go on', was one that both Paul and Trevor would have approved, and go on they did, eventually.

Although their line-up has changed, over the years, there are still many of the original "friends" left and they still continue to keep their feet on the ground (or the boats) back in their Cornish hideaway of Port Isaac between forays into the wider world of showbiz for tours and record and film promotions.

Only this year, the final accolade, a feature film about their remarkable story, Fisherman's Friends, was released in March and a new album, Keep Hauling -Music from the Movie, was also released in March to coincide with the film.

Their latest UK tour promotes both the film and the album and, this Sunday (October 6), at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall at 7pm, you will be able to see them. Also, worth noting in your next year's diary that they are at Venue Cymru, Llandudno on February 13.

Phone the respective box offices for tickets.

When they initially dreamed, all those years ago, in their sleepy little Cornish village, these friends from Port Isaac would have laughed at the idea of playing at Glastonbury Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, Costa Del Folk, Shrewsbury Folk Festival and Celtic Connections, having recorded five albums with a major record label and had a feature film made about them.

Maybe stranger things do happen at sea, but you'd have to ask them that!

On the local folk scene this week the usual Open Mic sessions abound but, on the club scene, I would direct you to a triumvirate of venues, two of which, unfortunately, are on the same night. On Thursday (October 10) at 7.30pm, Ruthin Folk Club, The Feathers Inn, Ruthin, welcome back one of my all-time favourite singer songwriters, the charismatic and genial Irishman, Anthony John Clarke.

Anthony is thoughtful, intelligent and a saddened patriot who's caring for his home country, Northern Ireland, comes across in many of his lyrically emotive songs.

Born in the small village of Holywood, outside Belfast, his early career included winning the Ulster Folk Singer title in 1973. He shares his experiences with the listener to such an extent that you are drawn into his evolving stories like the real-life characters who populate his songs.

As happened with many of his contemporaries, he moved across the water to a less troubled existence in Liverpool and he has become firmly established as one of the favourite performers on the UK folk scene.

He has been working as a professional musician since 1991 writing and performing his own brand of songs. His material is played on radio throughout England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Europe and North America.

His performing career takes him to Europe and North America, and he is a current favourite on the festival scene in the UK and Ireland where he captivates audiences with his unique brand of humour and song. Phone Chris on 07760 764441 for tickets and other information.

The same evening (October 10), The Hungry Horse Acoustic, the Whitby Club, Chester Road, Ellesmere Port celebrates its 13th birthday with a John Denver theme night and the following evening, Friday (October 11), the latest Soundbox promotion, at St Mary's Creative Space, Chester features Hannah Saunders & Ben Savage at 7.30pm.

More next week but, in the meantime, whatever you do and wherever you go, enjoy your music.

By D.C.M.