As tributes pour in following the death of comedian and Bullseye host Jim Bowen, the Advertizer takes a look back on his early life spent in Oswestry.

Born and raised in Lancashire, he came to the town during the mid 1950s to complete his National Service at Park Hall Training Camp.

It was during this time that he met his wife, Phyllis.

History expert David Owen said: "My aunt Doreen Benbow's husband, Doug, was at Park Hall at the same time as he.

"When he was there he did his PT instructing."

David said his aunt would also see Jim quite often while he waited for Phyllis to finish work at Sketchley's on Bailey Street.

After completing his National Service, Jim went on to do his teacher training in Chester, before marrying Phyllis in none other than St Oswald's Parish Church in 1959.

David continued: "All this was before he was famous. He was PT in the army and later a teacher, and went on to be a deputy headteacher back in Lancashire."

Somewhat ironically it was seeing comedian Ken Dodd in action that inspired Jim to pursue a career in comedy and led to him changing his then name - James Whittaker - to become Jim Bowen, using Phyllis' maiden name and adding the 'B' initial of his mother's.

Although Jim Bowen followed in the footsteps of quite a few famous names to pass through Park Hall - Jimmy Perry, the creator of Dad's Army, and Bob Marley's father, Norval, are just some of the others to note, Oswestry always kept a place in Jim's heart.

David added: "There's an episode of Bullseye which they still show on TV in which he must have had a bet with Tony Green, who did the scores, of how many times he could say 'Oswestry' in the show because he dropped it into the conversation whenever he could!"