Scary Andy has a wail of a time

Andy Latham, 33, of Blackburn Road, Great Harwood, has been accepted into the cast of "AtmosFEAR", an interactive horror attraction at Bygone Times shopping village, near Chorley.

The event was set up by Jason Karl, co-presenter of the television programme Most Haunted.

Visitors to the show, which runs until November 3, walk through the village, while a cast of professional and amateur actors do their best to frighten them as characters in the story of a Victorian family struck by a 17th-century curse.

Andy suffers from the rare brain condition hyperekplexia, charac-terised by an exaggerated startled response in situations of distress - but said he got the job because of his enthusiasm, not because of his disability.

The former pupil of St Christopher's High School, Accrington, got in touch with Jason after spotting an advert for the performance, and asked to take part to build on his work experience as an actor.

He was bitten by the performing bug after appearing as a stripper in the boundary-breaking Channel Four documentary "The Crippendales", and app-eared with the group at this year's Edinburgh Festival.

He appears as a ghoul in AtmosFEAR, and said it was "brilliant fun" to scream and wail at the visitors.

He said: "I never really liked haunted houses or ghost trains as a child, but being in there as part of the cast is great.

"I have to lie there covered in make-up, with a blood-spattered costume, and be as scary as I can.

"Everyone else invo-lved has lost more acting experience than me but it's great being part of the team and it's really helping me as an actor."

TV star Jason said Andy had fitted right in with the rest of the actors at the village, in Eccleston.

He said: "He's absolutely great - he's a brilliant performer and he has really got into his character.

"The rest of the actors were cast back in September but Andy got in touch and wanted to be a part of it, and he has been a great addition."