Robbie's tribute to Ian Dury

Williams with TV presenter Tania Bryer officiallly takes on his Unicef role

Pop star Robbie Williams paid a warm tribute to the late singer Ian Dury as he officially took over as an ambassador for Unicef at a gala fundraising event.

Dury, who died earlier this year, had been the charity's high-profile representative to the music industry.

Dury carried on working for Unicef despite illness

As Williams succeeded the popular Blockheads singer at the £250-a-head Act Now dinner in London, he said the appointment was his biggest honour.

"I can't take Ian's place - nobody could - but I am going to try my best and just be me," he told the 450-strong audience.

Williams was accompanied by Dury's widow, Sophy, as he then auctioned off one his coats to raise £5,100 for the children's charity's Growing Up Alone campaign.

Tireless campaigner

Dury died on 27 March after a long battle with cancer, aged 57. Despite his illness, he continued to devote much of his time to visiting Africa on behalf of Unicef.

His primary concern was to raise awareness of the need to vaccinate against polio - from which he had suffered as a child.

Williams with Dury's widow Sophy ask for generous bids

Williams has already undertaken two missions for Unicef - the most recent was a trip to Mozambique - but he was not given Dury's title until this year's fundraising evening.

Last year's inaugral Act Now event was organised by the Fiennes brothers and made nearly £1000,000 for Kosovo.

This year's beneficiaries will be children who have been orphaned through poverty, Aids or war.

Although not involved in arranging this year's event, actor Ralph Fiennes was among a number of celebrities who attended.

They were entertained with performances from Dury's former backing band The Blockheads - with Suggs of Madness taking over on vocals.

Boy George and Duran Duran also played sets.