HAROLD Steptoe is alive and well and living in Preston - well at least you'd think so if you met scrap metal dealer Bob 'WIllie' Wilson.

And now everyone can read about the 70-year-old larger than life character in a 350-page book which documents his fascinating life.

Bob turned his hand to writing seven years ago and has just completed his autobiography Life Begins at Twelve.

The book spans his full and varied life with a difficult childhood spent in hospital, his varied jobs - and his dreams of bringing greyhound racing back to Darwen.

He runs Darwen Car Dismantlers and wants to build a stadium on the site of the yard in Goosehouse Lane. His wife Elsie inspired him to write the book and he hopes its sales will help finance that dream.

But he's quick to point out his creation has no airs or graces and he is not scholar, despite having attended creative writing classes.

Bob, who now lives in Longridge, said: "I can't even read my writing. I couldn't have done it without my word processor."

"I may not be young, but my craving for life and knowledge is still with me. Forever I hope, for I have much more to write about."

Life Begins at Twelve is available from Sweetens and Waterstones priced £14.99.

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