DON'T PANIC Mr Mainwaring! Private Pike (aka Ian Lavender) may be on The Ghost Train at Blackpool Grand Theatre this week but it's all in fun.

And he'll be well looked after by his Dad's Army pal Godfrey -- for the actor Arnold Ridley is also the author of the classic thriller.

Ian joins with a stellar cast to bring The Ghost Train back to Blackpool where it first appeared in the 1920s.

And the resort run will be the first of a nationwide tour which will steam all the way through to July.

The story begins when a young man accidentally strands six passengers at a small Cornish wayside station and they have to stay the night in the waiting room.

Then the weird station master starts telling ghost stories...

Ian said: "It's more of a comedy really than being scary and I first played this role 30 years ago.

"The good thing is that is doesn't matter how old the person is -- whether they are 25 or 55, as he's never been given any age.

"Basically, he's just a silly, irritating man who would rather save his hat than worry about the other passengers on the train.

"But it's great fun to do and because attitudes have changed so much now that things that weren't as funny in 1925 are much funnier now.

"Another good thing is that because I know the rest of the cast so well -- Christopher Strauli and I live quite close to each other in Suffolk and I've worked with Henry McGee and Judy Cornwall many times -- that we have started seeing it as a golf tour!

"I don't think they'd let us on at Royal Lytham though and it is a bit cold."

Ian was most currently seen in the BBC soap EastEnders as Derek, the amateur dramatics fan whom Pauline Fowler fell for but who turned out to be gay.

"That was great as I've known Wendy Richards and Barbara Windsor for years."

And does Private Pike still haunt him after all these years?

"Not really. It was only ten weeks a year and even my children are very blas about it as they've grown up with it."

The Ghost Train runs at Blackpool Grand Theatre until Saturday with evening and matinee performances. Call the box office on 290190.