There were fears the second night of this summer’s Forest Live concerts would have to be cancelled when Sam Smith announced he was undergoing throat surgery.

But as Smith opened there was no doubting the power and range of his skill.

There is something mesmerising about Smith. His unassuming entrance lead quickly into a soulful rendition of Life Support - proving he is still capable of reaching those top notes.

Smith has a vocal talent that many artists would be jealous of yet still there is an element of bashfulness about him.

He told the audience he used to visit the forest as a child and admitted it was humbling to be back here taking the stage.

The heart-felt lyrics of Leave Your Lover resonated through the crowd and then, lifting the mood, he burst into I’m not The Only One, always guaranteed to get a reaction.

Eloquent is a word often used to describe Smith, and despite much searching, I cannot find a better adjective.

A man whose talent speaks for itself, there were few special effects needed here tonight.

Forest Live continues tomorrow with Paloma Faith taking the stage, and on Sunday evening Tom Odell will round off four nights of open-air concerts.

See a review of The Script, who performed last night, here