SOME people might be puzzled why a 55-year-old former convict could attract a capacity crowd at Bolton's Albert Halls, but, after an encounter with Howard Marks, all became clear.

The controversial, former international drugs baron turned witty raconteur could last night do no wrong in front of the predominantly young audience in Bolton.

Welshman Marks is extremely charismatic and his endless anecdotes both funny and mesmerising.

But despite his autobiography, 'Mr Nice Guy', being one of the best reads of the past decade, one wonders how long the father-of-four will continue repeating the same old tales and cracking on about being even more 'stoned' than he really is.

It was Marks' first time in Bolton and he was keen to get to know the audience, offering fatherly advice as well as recounting his many happy years smuggling vast amounts of marijuana into the country. He praised Bolton South East MP Brian Iddon for being the only politician he had ever met who was sincere and splurted out expletives when it came to the credentials of Tony Blair and Jack Straw.

Purpose

Marks, despite claiming to be totally stoned, remained amazingly coherent throughout most of the show, but did need to occasionally ask for the audience's help in reminding him where he was and what he was talking about.

He told the audience his sole purpose in life was to abolish the illegality of all drugs and his tale of applying for the job of national drugs czar was hilarious, including reading out the rejection letter from Whitehall.

Marks, an Oxford University graduate, has every reason to be happy, having spent only seven of a 25-year sentence in prison. He is definitely the type of character who will always land on his feet. He told the Bolton audience, who treated him like a long-lost pal: "Now I am actually paid for getting stoned in public."

And he certainly did get stoned during the second-half of his leisurely talk when the inevitable happened and out came a massive "spliff", which he took great delight in smoking.

The audience, which was predominantly male, certainly got their money's worth with Marks opening-up a question and answer session after already speaking for more than two hours.

The staff at the Albert Halls eventually had to ask him to vacate the stage or undoubtedly he would have stayed all night with his new-found Bolton pals, bottle of whisky and memories.