FORMER colleague Dave Dutton appeared in my life again on Sunday -- this time in Heartbeat's sister TV programme "The Royal".

The former Leigh journalist and scriptwriter to the stars, turned agent and actor, played a minor role in a major storyline in the series, a flat capped fruit and veg merchant who delivered a pregnant mum and her brood of six kids to the hospital in his van.

The Atherton-born actor has won many small TV roles. He's played seven different parts in Coronation Street, and been in Heartbeat and Watching. I'd love to see him make the big time.

I've never forgotten as fledgling reporters in our late teens and early twenties, a group of us went up to his then Factory Street East home to see if he was in, but his mum, who answered the door, told us he was "out playing" as if he was six. Every time I see him on the box I remember the days he made working life a joy and such great fun.

How working life has changed for today's employees.