AFTER a tour that stretched from Aberdeen to Abu Dhabi, you would expect Dave Spikey to be ready for a rest writes Katherine Eccles

But the Bolton-born comedian wouldn't entertain any such thing. He is about to embark on his next challenge -- selling two new comedy scripts to TV executives.

Dave is set to meet with a television company, which he will not name, to discuss his scripts; one based on a hopeless newspaper office and another on a group of painters and decorators.

And following the success of Phoenix Nights and That Peter Kay Thing, the signs look good.

Speaking from his home in Whittle-le-Woods, Chorley, Dave said: "I'm really excited. It's all a big adventure at the minute because I've got loads of things on. I'm just about to film my first video in Leeds. I asked if I could do two nights so if one went wrong we could use the other but because of the money, I could only have one night so the pressure's on!"

Dave's Overnight Success Tour has taken him all over the country... and even out of it. Bizarrely, Dave did two shows in the United Arab Emirates; one in Dubai and the other in Abu Dhabi.

He said: "It was mainly an English audience and I got a good reception. Things were a bit twitchy because the war had just started but everything turned out OK. Even though I talk about northern things, if you explain about the town, they soon find what you're talking about funny wherever you are in the world."

The four-month tour nearly ended in disaster when, coming out of a burger bar, Dave and his side-kick Justin Moorhouse, collided with an articulated lorry.

Dave said: "Justin had just been telling me how he was going to go vegetarian but wanted just one last burger so we pulled into a Happy Eater when a lorry came side-on. Luckily we escaped to carry on the tour."

The tour finished on Saturday in Rochdale in front of a 700-strong audience. And for Dave is was apt to finish the tour in Rochdale because he has starred in two pantomimes in the past at the Gracie Fields Theatre.

But life on the comedy circuit started quite late, though he refuses to say how late! Dave started out as Bolton Hospital's chief medical scientist, specialising in haematology. Disillusioned with the NHS, he decided to give comedy and television a go and was even the host on quiz show Chain Letters after doing his bit on the pub and club comedy circuit.

Wherever life takes him, Dave will never forget his roots.

He was brought up on Grafton Street, Bolton, and moved to Heaton at the age of 11 after attending Oxford Road primary school. He then attended Smithills High School and lived in Smithills until he moved to Chorley 18 years ago. His two children, Jill, a teacher, and Stephen, a musician in a rock band, still live in Bolton.

But there is more to Dave Spikey than being funny. He has been an animal rights campaigner for more than 20 years and helps a re-homing centre by fostering animals until new homes can be found. To show his support for charity Pet Rehome, who are based in Bolton, he donated the takings from his second Chorley show to the charity - thousands of pounds.

He said: "Over the years I've taken in lots of unwanted animals including goats, sheep and ducks but Pet Rehome do a fantastic job. At the moment I've had to cut down because of the tour so I've only got four dogs, one goat and 18 chickens!"

A vegetarian, Dave is also keen to preserve the environment and has become involved in local recycling campaigns.

However, he will not be recycling material for his new tour which kicks off in the autumn.