With Starman video: Aylesbury remembers David Bowie as statue petition signed by more than 800 people

At noon Bowie’s iconic Starman was played on the stereo system by Friars supremo David Stopps (see video).

As many of the estimated 400 to 500 fans danced along, it was a fitting tribute to one of the biggest stars of the last century.

A petition calling for a statue of Bowie to be put up in Market Square attracted more than 800 signatures, while hundreds of people also wrote their personal tributes in a book of condolence. Current plans are to donate the book to the County Museum and send a copy to Bowie’s family in New York.

The event lasted until midnight, with the music stopping at 11pm. Thousands of people are thought to have paid their respects during the 12 hours.

Mr Stopps said: “A lot of people were dancing in the evening, it turned into a bit of a party. At other times it was reflective, such as when we played tracks from his latest album.

“I was DJing for 11 hours, it was fun, I enjoyed it.”

Mr Stopps had urged people around the world to listen to Starman at noon - either British-time or, if it was easier, their own time zone. He said many radio stations including in America, Germany , Japan, Australia and New Zealand had played the song at the alloted time - alongside BBC Three Counties Radio in this area. In addition, a station in the Philipines postponed its 12 o’clock news to play Starman, while a cruise ship in the middle of the Pacific also joined in the tribute.

Flowers are laid at the start of the event and the shrine grew much bigger throughout the event

Mr Stopps is due to meet with Aylesbury Vale District Council officials on Wednesday morning to discuss the proposed statue.

“They instigated it,” he said. “They are very, very supportive in general.”

He believes the statue would cost in the region of £100,000.

“I would not expect the council to pay for it completely. It would be nice if some contribution was made, but it is public money and you have to be careful, especially in today’s environment.

“We could crowd fund and that is probably the way we will go.”

He said the Kingsbury revamp, which includes the ‘derelict’ water feature, cost £1.5m: “We’re talking about 1/15th of that.”

Bowie debuted his world famous Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars album at Friars Aylesbury in 1972, as well as his Hunky Dory record the previous year.

The first line of the first song on the Ziggy album, Five Years, even references Aylesbury’s Market Square.