Thirty years may have passed since Elvis Presley died, but The King is still very much alive and swivelling in the eyes of his fans. Debbie Waite reports.

When Elvis Aaron Presley died, aged just 42, no-one could have known how long and strong his legacy would become. But 30 years on, his memory and his music live on, thanks to his millions of fans.

Fans like Helen and Maria Barrie, who on August 16 are realising an ambition most Elvis fans can only dream about - acting as torch bearers in the candlelit vigil at their idol's mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.

The mother and daughter, from Banbury, are part of a chosen group of fan club members working in shifts to help light tens of thousands of candles, on the 30th anniversary of Elvis's death, at Graceland.

The vigil procession, which started on Wednesday night, is a re-enactment of the huge outpouring of grief which occurred when Elvis was found dead at his home on August 16, 1977.

Fans light their candle from torches taken from the eternal flame at Elvis's grave, before marching slowly up the drive of Graceland, to the tomb, and back again.

After lighting the candles, the pair took their place forming an international guard of honour for the procession. They were wearing T-shirts proudly saying they were from the Oxford branch of the fan club.

Helen, 64, and Maria, 44, said it was "an incredible honour" to be chosen to represent the Oxford branch. But it is not the first time they have been to their hero's home.

Between them, they have made 17 visits to Memphis, and their own home is a shrine to Elvis, containing 55 years worth of memorabilia, from plates to posters, handbags and of course, hound dogs.

It is a passion that has cost them around £50,000 to date. Helen and Maria are among a dozen members of the Oxford branch of the Elvis Presley Fan Club visiting Memphis to mark the 30th anniversary and take part in the largest number of Elvis events in history.

The Oxford branch has 60 members, 25 of whom meet up regularly to listen to music, watch Elvis films and go on trips abroad.

As well as sharing a love for The King, the club are princely fundraisers and since 1977 have raised over £51,500 for local charities, including the Douglas House hospice in Oxford. To contact the Oxford Elvis Presley Fan Club, email elvisoxford@hotmail.com.

Malcolm 'Elvis' Baker discovered a talent for impersonating The King by chance, and it has just helped him reach the semi-finals of a national talent show.

Mr Baker, 55, from Long Hanborough, and his female backing band The Shylites, made it into the semi-finals of the Britain's Got Talent contest in June. He said: "We entered the competition on a whim and found ourselves performing alongside the eventual winner Paul Potts, in front of a live audience of 1700 people. We didn't win, but we were thrilled to get that far."

Mr Baker first dressed up as Elvis 10 years ago, when he started staging a charity talent show. Since then, his fundraising has raised more than £40,000 for charity - most of which has gone to Oxford's hospices. Mr Baker has received an MBE from the Queen for his efforts as Elvis.

He added: "I was never a great fan of Elvis, but over the years I've become very fond of him. When you put that suit on, you kind of start to 'become' him. I've certainly got no plans to hang up the jumpsuit."

Billy Gallacher has been a fan since he was young - and now he's passing it on to his eight-month-old grandson.

Mr Gallacher, 62, tours the country with his band, Billy and The Bonquas. Regularly hosted by Oxford's Elvis Presley Fan Club, tonight he is hoping the King will be listening when he performs in Buckinghamshire.

He said: "For the first time I'll be performing a lullaby Elvis sang in GI Blues, but I'll be singing it to my eight-month old-grandson Oscar, who will be joining me on stage in his little Elvis T-shirt. I'm hoping he's going to inherit my love of Elvis too."

Mr Gallacher has been a fan of the star since he was 11. Recalling the night Elvis died, he said: "I was driving home from rehearsals and there was a thunderstorm and I thought, someone up there is having a party tonight. When I got home, my wife Christine told me what she'd heard. I was 32 and it was a very sad time."

As well as paying tribute to his idol with his voice, he has an Elvis room in his house full of memorabilia. And he and his wife celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by visiting Elvis's home, Graceland, and the house where he was born in Mississippi.

But although he wears a copy of Elvis's traditional white jumpsuit when he performs, Mr Gallacher draws the line at a black wig - he stresses he is not an impersonator.

He is also angered by media reports that Elvis fans are all odd, when the majority, he said, just enjoy his music. He added: "In my own way I'm helping keep his memory alive and hopefully introducing more people to his music."

A charity auction at the Aziz restaurant in Cowley Road, Oxford, starring an Asian Elvis lookalike, raised £6,000 for the Oxford Children's Hospital appeal.

The event was organised by Buildbase and lots included a Williams Formula 1 race suit worn by Alex Wurz. The event was attended by United owner Nick Merry and manager Jim Smith.

THE FACTS: Elvis Presley (1935-1977) rose from poverty to fame in the mid-1950s.

His combination of black rhythm 'n' blues, country, blues, pop and gospel was accompanied by hip swivelling movements (giving rise to the nickname Elvis the Pelvis) that some parents and churchgoers considered vulgar and a bad influence on teenagers.

Elvis started making movies in 1956, with film Love Me Tender. He was found dead at his home, Graceland in Memphis on August 16, 1977. He died of a heart attack, prescription drug abuse being indicated as a cause.

Elvis has sold over one billion albums worldwide.