A Bromyard man who is celebrating his 88th birthday tomorrow is rivalling the late Sir John Gielgud when it comes to clocking up his years as an actor.

Fred Udall made his first appearance on the stage in 1936 and 54 years later he is still treading the boards, appearing in the Conquest Theatre's latest production of Holiday Snaps next week.

He said he has been a semi-professional actor all his life and has even appeared on TV - with a shaggy dog in the Dulux advert - but he has no thoughts of giving it up yet.

"Acting is in my blood and if I'm not on stage I like to be doing front of house duties," he said.

"My father was a theatre manager and his father before him and I just love the scent of grease paint and the applause at the end of it all!" said Mr Udall.

He will be appearing as Miklos, a Greek local, in one of the theatre's three short comedy plays written by Jim Sperinck but director Peter Goodson said he is not their only "celebrity".

"Richard James, Bromyard's newly-elected county councillor is in it, plus Mike Cresswell, the town clerk and Bob Dallow and Vicki Goodson who are both town councillors," he said.

"It's been quite challenging for the company to put on three short plays together but we wanted to put on something that was easy going, that people could watch and enjoy instead of hibernating in front of their TV sets," he said.

The plays are on from Thursday, June 15 till Saturday, June 17 at 8pm.

Tickets are £5 and £4 and available from the box office on 01885 488575.