PIONEERING musician and Led Zeppelin drumming legend John Bonham has been honoured with a blue plaque in his home town of Redditch.

Thanks to nominations made by BBC local radio listeners a plaque was unveiled on Thursday (BBC Music Day), outside the home he was born in on Birchfield Road in Headless Cross.

The plaque will commemorate John's unmistakable influence on drumming, which saw him draw from some of the coolest and hippest sources to create his own distinct, highly informed style.

The plaque was unveiled by Bonham’s sister, singer Deborah Bonham.

She was accompanied by former drummer with The Move and ELO, Bev Bevan, who was a good friend of John.

The star, who passed away aged just 32 in 1980, is remembered as one of the greatest drummers in rock history.

He sold more than 200 million albums with rock royalty Led Zeppelin.

Jeremy Pollock, editor of BBC Hereford and Worcester said she was delighted Deborah Bonham could unveil the plaque on behalf of John's family.

"His place in Worcestershire history is sealed – his family still lives here and have a strong connection to the patch. I couldn’t think of a better figure to honour, ” she said.

A spokesman from the John Bonham Memorial Fund (JBMF), raising cash for a fitting memorial in Redditch town centre, said: “We’re over the moon that BBC Hereford and Worcester listeners voted for John to receive this honour of a blue plaque at his birthplace.

"Next year, a memorial to John will be unveiled in the town centre, subject to us gaining planning consent from Redditch Borough Council hopefully within the next couple of months.”

After the unveiling a crowd of around 30 people moved up to the Rocklands Members Club where local drummers Steve Barnes and Matt Hill performed a "drum-off" live on BBC HW, in front of Bev Bevan.