THE brother of a top Bolton comic has been charged with the attempted murder of their mother.

Ellen Lee, the mother of well-known Bolton stand-up Ricky Livid, underwent exploratory surgery yesterday after she had been stabbed in the neck following an attack at her Oakford Walk home in Daubhill.

Paramedics rushed to the scene on Thursday, just after midday, when the 84-year-old woman made an emergency call to the ambulance service. Yesterday the Bolton comedian - whose real name is Stephen Lee - remained at his mother's hospital bed along with his elder sister as the family learned their brother, David, aged 40 of Rogerstead flats off Deane Road, had been charged with the attempted murder of Mrs Lee.

Last night father-of-two Mr Lee, 53, spoke of his mum's fightback to health, after surgeons had operated on the neck injury.

He added: "My mum is doing fine. She's had exploratory surgery and she is back up in the ward without any problems.

"We think it's going to be about a week before she will be allowed out. We just want to get her back to normal as soon as possible. She's been very lucky."

Yesterday the comedian, who is a regular face on the Northern club circuit, admitted he did not know if he would be performing on stage this weekend as planned.

He added: "At this present time I don't know what I will be doing." Mr Lee has made numerous television appearances as Teddy Boy stand-up comic Ricky Livid.

He has also worked in Spain for holiday tour companies as well as acting as stand-in comic at Bernard Manning's Embassy club in Manchester.