The 29-year-old spent years combined his night job as a street light inspector with a burgeoning stand-up career.

But for the past 12-months he has been working as a full time funnyman, playing at some of the best comedy venues across the country.
Now he is set to perform at a homecoming concert at Greenall's Social Club in Eccleston on Saturday, January 19.

He will compere the evening with up and coming comic Jamie Sutherland and Mundo Jazz headlining.

Dave, real name Dave Jones, said: "I took part in and won the St Helens Reporter's Barrel Of Laughs competition in 2004 and haven't looked back since.

"Since then I have gone on to become a full time professional comic performing all over the UK and appearing regularly on the radio.

"Being a St Helens lad though, I'd love to bring a bit of comedy home.
"I decided it would be best to pick a venue way out the town centre to appeal more to couples and other folk who don't want to walk through drunks in the town centre to watch something different."

Dave married in 2006 and he and wife Sue have a daughter Olivia.
Family responsibilities meant Dave continued with the, by his own admission, unusual salaried job until he'd developed his stand-up sufficiently to pay the bills.

But Dave says his friends are far from star struck by his success.
He joked: "If I say something funny down the pub, they'll accuse me of using them as guinea pigs for my stand-up routine. So I can't win, really."

* Tickets cost £5. Doors open 7.30pm and the show starts at 8.30pm. Tickets are available on the door but are also available in advance by emailing dave.twentyman@yahoo.co.uk