Seaside statue of comedian Dawson

Les Dawson hosted BBC One's Blankety Blank

One of Britain's greatest loved comedians is to be immortalised in his home town.

Plans are being made for a bronze statue of Les Dawson in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, where he lived with his wife Tracy and daughter Charlotte.

A fund-raising campaign is due to launched for the tribute by Mrs Dawson at Fylde town hall.

The comedian, known for his deadpan style, was born in Collyhurst, Manchester, and died in 1993, aged 62.

Dawson found fame as a comedian after working as a club pianist.

He discovered a talent for making the audience laugh when he played the wrong notes.

I live in Lytham St Annes where it's so posh that when we eat cod and chips we wear a yachting cap Les Dawson

He made his television debut in the talent show, Opportunity Knocks, and went on to have his own television show.

His best known routines featured Roy Barraclough and Dawson as pensioners Cissie Braithwaite and Ada Shufflebotham.

Dawson, host of BBC One's Blankety Blank, was a long-time resident of St Annes and famously lampooned it in his routines.

He said: "As you might know, I live in Lytham St Annes where it's so posh that when we eat cod and chips we wear a yachting cap."

A location for the statue has not yet been decided.

Benefit shows, a celebrity golf tournament and auctions are all planned to raise funds.

Fylde Council is supporting the project and said it has agreed that the statue will be put on council-owned land.