A CLOWN has been busy brightening up the streets of Bolton as part of his mission to cheer up everyone in Britain.

Clown King Marco, whose real name is Mark Jones, turned a few heads in Bolton when he jumped on his bike and cycled around the town centre.

Mark, of Scot Lane, Blackrod, decided to become a clown a year ago and has been touring the country as Marco ever since.

The 40-year-old, who writes and performs his own poetry as well as writing children's fairy stories, has visited Stranraer in Scotland and Berwick upon Tweed in the Borders on his one-man mission and is a regular sight on the streets of Chorley, Horwich and Blackrod.

Marco, who has two grown-up children, spends an hour on his clown make-up and has introduced a quirky approach by painting his nose green.

He is also known as the "Bard of Blackrod" and said: "I want all the closet clowns in the country to come out and brighten the place up.

"I've got the time to just ride around on my bike and cheer people up, so that's exactly what I do. I always get a good reaction wherever I go and children love seeing me."

Marco is looking forward to the international clown convention, which is being held in Bolton from September 10 to 16 and is likely to attract hundreds of clowns from all over the world.