BLEARY-EYED Rock FM fans have been having a bit of morning cheekiness in recent weeks after a mysterious listener called Jokin' Joe began ringing in with witty gags!

Everyday from 7am the cryptic comic has been unleashing his own brand of humour on the good people of the north west during the equally jovial presenter - Rick Vaughn's - daily spot.

And has managed to earn cult status after the radio station received an e-mail from a listener in Wigan who claimed the jokester was just not funny.

Hundreds of angry Jokin' Joe fans bombarded the Rock FM switchboard in defence of their day-break hero.

And one even said the funnyman's japes were the most hilarious she had heard in ages.

But - despite his unprecedented popularity - nobody has been able to unearth Jokin' Joe's identity... until now! The Citizen can exclusively reveal that the waggish wit is none other than Blackpool-based DJ, Joe Curran.

Joe, who is also known as marketing and media manager at superclub The Syndicate, has tried to keep a low profile after his early morning funny forays came under scrutiny.

And believes that whether you are a chortler, a sniggerer or a titterer - having a sense of humour is the only way to keep your marbles.

Jokin' Joe said: "As far as I'm concerned there is no better way to start the day than with a giggle or a chuckle!

"Life can be serious enough as it is and most people don't realise how important a sense of humour can be.

"Often the best and only way of keeping yourself sane is to have a laugh in the morning because it sets you up for the day."

A couple of Jokin Joe's finest:

"I went shopping and bought a pair of shoes the other day, got them home and there was only one lace in the box. When I looked on the side of the box it said 'tie one'."

"A man throws an incendiary device into a pet shop shouting 'you've got two minutes to get out'. The parrot shouted back 'doesn't give the tortoise much of a chance does it?"