BOLTON folk singer Bernard Wrigley is preparing to perform the 'mother and father of all Lancashire nights' alongside the Oldham Tinkers.

The 67-year-old, who is also known as the Bolton Bullfrog, has been in the entertainment business since the '60s with numerous appearances on TV and Radio over the years.

The singer-songwriter-comedian-actor — who also appeared in Phoenix Nights as Dodgy Eric along with fellow Boltonians Peter Kay and Paddy McGuiness — says he is looking forward to performing another night of folk music in his hometown.

Bernard will play a show at the Octagon Theatre — of where he is patron — with the three-piece folk group, featuring John Howarth and brothers Larry and Gerry Kearns, on Friday, November 6.

Bernard, who grew up in Halliwell, said: "I love playing with the Tinkers. It all started at the Queen's silver jubilee in 1977. There was a royal community performance in Manchester and both me and the Tinkers were invited to perform a 10 minute slot. At the time we said that we should do some concerts together.

"It took us 15 years to do it but we got there in the end. We do quite a bit at the Octagon Theatre and the Oldham Coliseum, due to where we are from. We call it the 'mother and father of all Lancashire nights'."

The entertainer — who has recently written another book featuring funny one verse poems entitled Shorts Forever, which follows on from Shorts For All Occasions, The Longs & The Shorts of It, and recently performed at the Edgworth Festival at the Barlow.

Bernard said: "There will always be a hunger to listen to music. In the 1960s it was all open and you didn't have these divisions. Nowadays music is in cupboards. Young people today can't grasp just how big bands like the Beatles were.

"The internet is good and bad. The music is all there for the taking but at the same time it is so disposable no one wants to pay for it, which is sad because all that time and effort that goes into creating it. We used to treasure vinyl covers and CD boxes — they were part of a collection."

Bernard will be playing his own set as well as a few songs with the Tinkers.

Bernard said: "I always tend to look at what I played last time and change the set list so people don't think I just go round doing the same stuff. I've notice that the Tinkers do that too — they vary their set each time, which makes it more interesting for the audience.

"We will be doing one hour each and then at the end we'll get together and play four songs together. We are lucky because we always have a fantastic crowd that come to support us, so playing at the Octagon is always a pleasure."

Bernard Wrigley and the Oldham Tinkers play the Octagon Theatre on Friday, November 6. For tickets call the box office on 01204 520661.