JOURNAL man Colin Lyne had his best ever breakfast this week . . . in front of millions of television viewers.

Since Colin's uncanny resemblance to England soccer team manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was highlighted in last week's Journal sports pages and its sister paper the Bolton Evening News , our photographer's fame has flourished.

Once Journal Jack-of-all-trades Paul Smith and BEN photographer Paul Heyes mentioned how closely Colin resembled the England supremo demand spiralled for the likeable lookalike who admits his long-suffering wife, Irene, who works for Bolton Wanderers' fanatic Martin Pryce at his confectioners' shops in Walkden and Bolton, knows more about the game than he does.

"But then somebody told me that's about par for an England manager," laughed the smiling 'Svensman' who admits before all the hype he had no idea who Eriksson was or how even many players were in a team. He was caught up in a lookalike media whirl which led to his being whisked off to London to appear on Channel 4's Big Breakfast show with a World Cup theme -- featuring ex-FA boss Graham Kelly -- yesterday morning.

Chauffeured in style by his mate Frank Reid, official driver for the Mayor of Salford, they travelled down to London. Keeping with Colin's new film star image they stayed in Ealing.

Did he watch England's 3-1 victory over Albania?

"Did I hell, we went for an Indian!" replied Colin, more excited about his screen debut than a mere international football match for which he was substitute manager. Arriving just in time for the two hour show, Colin enjoyed his time on air and was made up by meeting Rob Harvey whose special effects won an Oscar for the box-office hit film Gladiators. "That really made it for me,' said Colin, lapping-up the adulation, in a pair of Sven-like specs kindly loaned by Crown Optical Glass in Leigh Market Hall.

"I'm over the moon with the way things have gone. I could really go for this sort of life. But seriously it has been brilliant. I suppose it highlights what a crazy, mixed-up world we live in. Here am I, a Francophile Englishman, imitating a Swede who is managing England!"

After the show as vegetarian Colin tucked in to a real BIG breakfast of eggs, mushrooms and potatoes, in the studio canteen, he thanked those who'd helped make his day. "It wouldn't have happened but for hawk-eyed Paul Smith and then young Josh Gomm who popped in to work with his dad and took the Big Breafast call."