Winners take it all Abba join Abbatars in arena to mark one year of virtual shows

On stage, digital technology gave the 3,000-strong audience at the Abba arena in east London perfectly recreated youthful versions of Agnetha, Benny, Björn and Anni-Frid

- Harriet Sherwood

At the rear of the auditorium, three of the group, now in their 70s, appeared in real life, waving like the pop royalty they are. The crowd was in ecstatic meltdown. Benny Anderson, Björn Ulvaeus and

Anni-Frid (Frida) Lyngstad were at the arena on Saturday evening to celebrate the first anniversary of the phenomenally successful show, Abba Voyage, featuring avatar versions of the band members.

More than 1.3m tickets have been sold to date, and the show has been extended to run at its London venue until May 2024. There are reports of a world tour, and Ulvaeus has suggested that replicas of the purpose-built arena could be constructed in Asia, Australia and North America.

For Kim Smith, who had travelled from Portsmouth to see the show with her daughter Lucy as a 62nd birthday treat, it was an emotional experience. "It took me back 40 years," she said. "I was so overwhelmed that I cried." Abba Voyage opened a year ago to five-star reviews. "The effect is genuinely jaw-dropping... it's almost impossible to tell you're not watching human beings," the Guardian's Alexis Petridis wrote.