Gradely, this Lanky lingo!

Lancashire Lingo Lines is the first anthology of northern dialect poetry to be published for several years and is packed with hilarious verses written in the famous Lancashire twang.

For people who thought that the Lancashire dialect was dead and buried, think again, this book is sentiment to the fact that it is alive and kicking across the Red Rose county.

Poetic contributions to the book come from across Lancashire, from the seaside town of Lytham St Annes to the rural town of Colne in the heart of the Pendle moorlands.

Preston Writers Guild member Michael May, of Collins Road, Bamber Bridge, has contributed three poems to the book including Fish, Chips An' Peas, Grandma's Tom Cat and Wen Amos Bradshaw Wer a Lad.

He said: "A lot of Lancashire phrases date back to the Anglo-Saxon times such as brat for apron which means cloak in Anglo Saxon.

"Nowadays though, the Lancashire accent is fading because people are moving around much more and with the influence of television, but I don't think it will disappear completely, it has been around far too long."

As a retired police sergeant Bob, who lives near Blackpool, has come across a variety of localised accents during his career with Lancashire Constabulary.

Now, he says he considers himself a "missionary" to Lancashire, intent on feeding the appetite of people interested in the verses and the language of the county's poets.

With more than 80 poems this informative text covers topics widely associated with Lancashire including fish and chips, weavers and spinners, colliers and tea drinking.

The 60-page book is published by Landy Publishing priced £5. It can be obtained from all good book shops or a signed copy can be bought from Landy Publishing, "Acorns", 3 Staining Rise, Staining, Blackpool, FY3 OBU (enclose cheque for £5).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.