Farnworth comic Dave Spikey has paid tribute "kind and generous" fellow comedian Sean Lock, who died from cancer earlier this week.

The Phoenix Nights star appeared on BBC Breakfast yesterday morning along with Bill Bailey to pay tribute to the comedian who died at the age of 58.

Spikey revealed how Sean had helped him break into the London comedy scene and how they frequently toured together around Manchester.

He said: "I was on the computer, and I looked at the screen, and his picture came up with that lovely smile and I thought 'oh Sean, what's Sean up to?' and you read it, and it's disbelief isn’t it?

"A massive presence has gone, massive. The whole world of comedy­ — the whole world is darker. I sound as if I'm talking in cliches but I couldn't believe it.

"We became friends I was maybe a stage behind Sean because I was starting out in comedy quite late, and I worked with him in the northern circuit in Manchester in the bus club.

“It was difficult to break into London and I got talking to Sean, we got on, who didn’t, he was a kind and generous man and I was telling him how difficult it was to get on the circuit in London.

“Him with a few others opened a few doors for me early on and within two or three years I was playing the comedy stores with him and you’d walk in and see who’s on tonight, me, Bill Bailey and Sean Lock.

“You’d think can I go on first I don’t want to follow these lads!”