Ellie Goulding's musical reunion with estranged father

Ellie Goulding's estranged father saw the pop star play live for the first time ever in Cardiff, Wales on Tuesday (08Mar16).

The singer, 29, has patched up her relationship with her father Arthur, who left Ellie's mother when she was just five years old, after they reunited at a family christening in December (15).

As a result he attended the start of the U.K. leg of her Delirium world tour in the Welsh capital - the first time he had ever seen her play a live gig.

Due to having her father in the audience, and the proximity of Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena to her hometown of Hereford, England, the concert was an especially poignant one for the Love Me Like You Do singer.

"I'm nervous for tonight, as I love coming home," she told Britain's The Sun newspaper before the gig. "Cardiff is the closest venue to home and really close to my heart. Dad's never seen a show before. This is his first time, which I'm really genuinely shocked and happy about. We've forgotten the past."

Ellie has used her difficult relationship with her father to inspire her music in the past, penning the track I Know You Care about his absence from her life. Although they had briefly met up when the star was 19, they had not spoken for a decade before their December reunion.

Her repaired parental bond comes at a difficult time in other areas of Ellie's personal life, as last month (Feb16) she split from her long-term boyfriend, McFly rocker Dougie Poynter.

On Sunday (06Mar), ahead of her tour Ellie thanked her fans for keeping her spirits up during a tough period for her emotionally.

"UK Delirium tour starts Tuesday," she wrote on Twitter. "Can't tell you how excited I am. Seeing you all singing back at me every night has kept me in the happiest place in what could have been a very tough few weeks. Thank you."

The singer's tour continues on Thursday (10Mar16) at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England.