A TEENAGER is staking his claim to be the town’s number one Joey Essex lookalike.

T-Jay Gingell, aged 16, of Spinning Meadow, Bolton, is following in the footsteps of Little Lever’s Chris Bailey, who recently came face to face with his celebrity double Joey.

Chris might find himself with some local competition, as T-Jay eyes a similar break into the world of celebrity.

The Bolton Wanderers Free School pupil, who used to be a neighbour of Chris’s, said: “My mates all tell me I look like him, my family says I look like him, everyone does really.

"We know Chris, I haven’t seen him for a while but he used to live in the same street as us.

"I’m not certain who looks more like him, but it’s a bit weird for the two of us both to have it.”

Eighteen-year-old Chris, meanwhile, has been given his first chance to appear on TV after getting his photo snapped with the reality TV star.

“It was a great experience,” explained Chris, who has worked part-time as a model alongside his job at Card Factory in Bolton town centre.

“I really enjoyed meeting him and things are going well for me at the minute. I’ve got my first TV advert next week and that’s a really big step forward.”

However, Chris wouldn’t be drawn on who he thought best resembles the I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and The Only Way is Essex star, adding: “It is a bit funny there being two of us now.

“I suppose some people will say that T-Jay looks a bit more like him, but I’m really not sure.”