Author’s tales of ‘Uptown Connie’

ROYTON author Carl Spiers is preparing to publish his eagerly awaited follow-up to “100-plus Characters of Oldham”.

“Another 100 Characters of Oldham” unearths the fascinating stories of more local favourites and is expected to go on sale at the end of next month, priced £15.

All 500 copies of the first instalment sold out within three months, prompting the follow-up.

It was described by one reviewer as the best book ever written about what makes Oldham, Oldham.

Mr Spiers (48), a local promoter, said: “The first book was that popular I had to have another 200 printed.

“A lot went to ex-pats in New Zealand, Australia and America.

“It’s been great fun researching it. A lot of the characters have passed away but their families have given me permission to talk about them.

“I have been working on it for a while but I have really cracked on in the last few months to hit the Christmas market.”

Characters featured in the new book include “Uptown Connie”, “Second Hand Rose”, “Knock ‘em back Nellie”, “Dodgy Daz” and “Toffee Bob”.

The new book will be Mr Spiers’s sixth, with his latest, “A Teenage Rampage”, describing his years as an adolescent in the borough and follows on from where his memoir, “In the Town Where I Was Born”, left off.

To order a copy call Mr Spiers on 07980-001863.