A pair of buskers have been causing a stir after captivating shoppers in Norwich the day before lockdown.

Eastern Daily Press: Hayley Moss and Ben Lake performing Time to Say Goodbye duet, outside Jarrold on London Street, Norwich in 2017. Picture: ArchantHayley Moss and Ben Lake performing Time to Say Goodbye duet, outside Jarrold on London Street, Norwich in 2017. Picture: Archant (Image: Archant)

People have been trying to track down the two singers who warmed hearts while performing outside Primark on Haymarket on Wednesday.

And now they can be revealed as friends and professional musicians Hayley Moss, 34, from Woodbastwick, and Ben Lake, 40, from Cringleford.

The duo decided to throw a final performance, which lasted for two hours, in the city centre to “lift people’s spirits” before the second national lockdown.

They sang a variety of tunes including showstoppers from musicals Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera.

Ms Moss said: “It was nice to get out and have a good sing because everything, like Christmas concerts, has been cancelled.

“It was our last day of busking and we thought we would take our chances and boost people’s moods and we had a really good turnout.”

Ms Moss said the reaction to the performance, which has been shared on Facebook, was overwhelming.

She added: “It’s always lovely to get good feedback. The thing with busking is you put yourself out there. With concerts, people buy tickets so you know they want to see you but with busking you’re never sure if people are enjoying it or if they think it’s pestering.

“We also weren’t sure if people were in the right frame of mind or would appreciate it with the pandemic and everything going on. But it’s really lovely they have and was unexpected.”

It is not the first time the pair have gone viral.

In 2017, a video of Ms Moss and Mr Lake singing ‘Time to Say Goodbye’ outside Jarrold on London Street was viewed more than 130,000 times on Facebook.

Ms Moss said they normally busk in Norwich once a month but over the past year, due to the pandemic, they have performed less.

The soprano and tenor duo have been performing together for the past four years after being introduced through a mutual friend.

Ms Moss said: “A friend arranged for us to meet up as they thought we would make a good singing pairing. We sing a lot together, but also perform solo too.”

During lockdown, Ms Moss said they were planning on performing via Facebook live but have not yet set a date.