THE Chorley frogman jailed for stealing golf balls is looking to further his new found celebrity status under the wing of agent to the stars Max Clifford.

Speaking exclusively to The Citizen the public relations guru -- whose clients have included The Beatles, boxing legend Mohammed Ali, Harrods boss Mohammed Al Fayed and ol' blue eyes Frank Sinatra -- said he admired golf ball diver Mark Collinson's entrepreneurial spirit and believed he had star appeal.

Max was so impressed by Mark -- whose six-month sentence for theft was quashed by the Court of Appeal this week -- that he has even waived his usual fee of several thousand pounds, to help launch the father-of-two's celebrity career.

"I am going to talk to some of the people who I'm involved with and on an unpaid basis look out for opportunities for Mark," said Max.

"I have a lot of contacts and maybe they will sponsor him to carry on diving. I admire him and his creative and entrepreneurial spirit. He's not doing anybody any harm, the golf balls were not being used by anybody.

"A lot of people have a lot of sympathy for him, I think he can become a genuine celebrity. He could even benefit a charity."

After years of promoting and advising some of the world's biggest organisations and stars, Max Clifford has become as famous as the people he represents.

Now he intends to work his magic on Mark -- whose real name is John Collinson -- to make him a household name for more than just his brush with the law.

Mark, 36, of Canterbury Street, Chorley, received a two-year conditional discharge after being found at Whetstone Golf club, Leicester, with nearly 1,200 golf balls in April.

And he will be back diving again this week on the invitation of courses across the country.

But Mark, who is looking forward to success with Adlington firm UK Lakeball Retrieval, has become something of a local celebrity after television and tabloid newspaper coverage of his case which caused a national outcry. He called Max in a bid to make the most of his new-found fame.

Mark's business partner Gavin Durrett said: "Max was considering whether Mark could do a dive in Spain or open golf courses."

Speaking about his experience over the last month Mark, who intends to marry his childhood sweetheart Annette Jolly next year, said: "It has been a nightmare and now I am just glad the worst is over.

"I am back out on the courses this week -- one in Northamptonshire and one in Birmingham -- and a number of other courses want me to come down and dive for them.

"The publicity has helped with raising awareness of my case and business and the phone has been ringing this morning."

Providing he gets permission from the golf courses Mark is legally free to dive and retrieve golf balls.

Lord Justice Potter, said in principle the golf courses had control of the golf balls, and quashed Mark's jail sentence on Monday, May 20.

Mark has lodged an appeal against his conviction.

His fiancee Annette said: "I am happy now.

"I feel like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It has been completely hectic."

Mark added: "Now it's just a case of getting my golf ball retrieval business up and running."