Blaster Bates dies at 83

Blaster Bates, who used his experiences as an explosives expert to forge a stand-up career has died at the age of 83.

Derek Mcintosh Bates toured Britain with a series of comedy shows from the Sixties to the Eighties, and recorded eight albums, starting with his bestselling 1967 title Laughter With A  Bang, which is still available today.

Born in Crewe, he flew Halifax bombers during the war, where he developed an interest in explosives. Over the course of his career, he demolished more than 500 chimney stacks and was famous for carrying sticks of explosives in his pocket.

His daughter Mandy Park told the Crewe Chronicle: 'He was never injured. He used to come home and say “Look I have all my fingers and toes.” When he and mum moved, we found old detonators in a cupboard and had to call out the bomb squad.'

He suffered a stroke in 2001 but continued his after-dinner speaking engagements.

He died in Crewe on September 1 after suffering heart failure, but his death has only just been reported.

>> To buy Blaster Bates recordings

Published: 12 Sep 2006