Leonard the oldest newspaper boy in Britain featured in the DVD “The Peter Kay Thing”. The character was based on a real life character Peter got to know whilst working at petrol station in Bolton. Peter Kay remembers he was a bright cheerfully optimistic guy. He got to know and like him quite well even though some people thought Leonard was a bit weird for his choice of clothes and driving around in a pink Robin Reliant.

Leonard was always saying hello to people and an unremittingly cheerful. He was also a born again Christian evangelist who would go around Bolton praising the glories of the Lord. In the DVD episode Leonard befriended a mass murdered on death row in America, although this part is likely to be fiction. In the comedy series another event was Leonard being awarded a special award by Bolton town council for being the eldest newspaper boy in Britain naturally he is absolutely delighted to get the award. Another great interest of Leonard was his delight in visiting charity shops. As Peter Kay says.

“He loved charity shops and in fact seemed to spend his life in them, buying all kinds of shite for tuppence. He was forever calling into the garage to show us what he’d bought.

Here look what I’ve got today.

“I got a fancy sailor’s hat, a rainbow coloured sarong, a couple of novelty salt and pepper mills in the shape of Cagney and Lacey…..

Despite his cheerfulness and positive outlook and life Peter Kay was one of very few people who attended his funeral. It shows Peter has a big heart to befriend someone so eccentric. Leonard looked kind of like an elderly Captain Birds Eye, but dressed up in gharish clothes.

A good impression of Leonard can be got by this exchange Peter Kay remembers. Some young lads from Bolton on spotting Leonard say. “Hello JC.” (Jesus Christ) to which Leonard replied “He’s coming soon, lads and he’ll save us all.” (in a tremendously confident and optimistic tone of voice

A fitting summary of one of life’s unique characters.