I knew Tony Hill who wrote the song, and it came as a shock when he died.

Mark Dowding had given me a recording of me playing at Harry Boardman's club at the Unicorn - and Tony was singing on the recording just before me. Spookily, Paul Connor sang after me on that same recording... and he's also dead now.

I've known about "Billy Barker's" exploits for some time - thanks to Tony's song - so it would be nice to interview someone from his immediate family, if only to lend a bit of credence to the 'legend'.

It would be even better to get me old mate Geroff (sic!) Higginbottom in on the act, as he definitely performs the song regularly.

My attic is a recording studio, and I live in Farnworth (near Bolton)... so let's see what we can do!