One of British television’s most popular actors entertained a packed house in Shrewsbury last night with tales of more than 50 years in showbusiness.

Peter Sallis shared many of his experiences of playing Norman Clegg on hit sitcom Last of the Summer Wine when he performed ‘An Audience With . . .’ at the Music Hall.

He took questions from the audience and entertained them with tales from his time on Britain’s longest running comedy show.

The veteran actor also explained how he found fame with a new generation of viewers after he voiced the role of Wallace in Aardman Animation’s BAFTA and Oscar winning Wallace and Gromit programmes and films.

Mr Sallis was joined on stage by journalist and TV presenter Samantha Norman, daughter of film critic Barry Norman, interviewed the actor about his early days treading the boards.

He explained how he pursued a career in acting and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts after he taught radio procedures in the Royal Air Force during World War II.

Mr Sallis has also starred in more than 102 films and television programmes including hammer horror classics The Curse of the Werewolf alongside Oliver Reed and Taste the Blood of Dracula with Christopher Lee.

Many of the tales he told in Shrewsbury form the basis of his recently published autobiography Fading Into The Limelight.