Hurricane's great niece to release tribute song

The six year old great niece of Alex ’Hurricane’ Higgins will tomorrow release the song she sang at his funeral as a tribute to the late snooker legend.

The star’s young relative and namesake Alex Mitchell performed a poignant version of Somewhere over the Rainbow at a private family service for the tragic two time world champion back in August.

Higgins, once feted around the world for his dashing style of play, died alone and penniless in sheltered accommodation in Belfast after enduring a long battle with cancer.

The CD single recorded by the 61-year-old’s great niece includes song notes containing never before published pictures of the star.

The little girl’s mum Lynsey said: “Alex would be so proud of his great niece who he believed had the star that runs in the family”.

Young Alex sang the song to her great uncle as his cortege left the family home in Belfast after a private funeral attended by snooker greats like Jimmy White and Stephen Hendry.

Later, thousands lined the streets as he was carried in a horse drawn carriage to the city’s St Anne’s Cathedral for a public thanksgiving service.

The maverick’s former PA Will Robinson revealed that Alex used to sing for her famous relation when he was alive.

“Alex performed this song to her great uncle Alex only two days before he died and was going to use his contacts to help her with her singing career,” he said.

“Alex was brave enough to perform the song again at his funeral where she sang as the cortege left the family home in Belfast.

“A couple of weeks later I took Alex to record the song in London with Robin Gibb’s producer Michael Graves.”