AT 81, busker Stewart Marshall is a great grand-daddy of entertainers.

But smiling squeeze-box player Stewart, who lives in Hindley Green, reckons the real star of the street scene is his faithful mongrel Sam. A twist of fate brought them together as a crowd-pleasing double act.

Now regular morning entertainers in Leigh town centre, they took to the streets six-years-ago after Stewart found puppy Sam badly injured beside a motorway.

But Leicester-born Stewart is quick to point out he's a bona fide entertainer, not a scrounger.

He recalled how he set out busking to scrape a living after he decided to get out of South Africa while the going was good: "I'd worked there as an agricultural engineer but the troubles started and 30 people a day were being killed. I was 70 when I decided to return to England in the middle of Margaret Thatcher's era.

"I couldn't claim any benefits and I went busking to make a living.

"Then one day on the M1 I saw a small puppy badly injured, took him to the vet's and nursed him back to health. That was Sam who today is a kids' favourite in Leigh, St Helens and Warrington."

Stewart plays old-time tunes on his concertina while Sam keeps passers-by amused with his paw-shaking antics. In return Sam gets regular presents like sausage rolls and Stewart is grateful for the bob or two tossed into his collecting hat.

Travelling around the area Stewart says an average weekly earner is £60 - anything extra he donates to the RSPCA.

He explained: "I live in a caravan and I don't drink or smoke. We live cheaply and can manage quite well.

"As long as we aren't creating an obstruction police can't move us on unless there is a bye-law preventing us performing.

"Of all the towns we visit Leigh is the best, the people are down-to-earth, friendly and generous."

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