Birkenhead singer Charlie Landsborough reveals his past as a petty thief in new book

Oct 14 2009 by William Leece, Heswall News

BIRKENHEAD country and folk singer Charlie Landsborough has revealed how he turned away from the temptations of petty crime to become an international star.

Although he came from a respectable working family in north Birkenhead, he fell in with bad company started some petty thieving.

“I think it was just for excitement and a cry for attention – I am certainly not making excuses,” he says in his newly-published autobiography.

Inevitably, he got caught. And although he was only put on probation, he spent an uncomfortable two months in Walton prison awaiting trial.

But a combination of a newly-rediscovered Christian faith, a spell in the army and going to teacher training college as an adult helped turn him round.

And then, in his early 50s, he unexpectedly hit the big time as a country and folk singer.

Of his early life, he says: “I started doing petty thieving, things like breaking into picture houses, silly things like that.”

The picture that emerges from the book is one of a likeable and kindly man with a rebellious streak and a firm Christian faith who finally got his life on track.

After his time in the army, he became a qualified teacher for 14 years, returning to his native Birkenhead on the staff of Cavendish Street school – before musical success finally came knocking.

STORYTELLER, by Charlie Landsborough, is published by Trinity Mirror NW at £8.99. Available from good bookshops or from www.merseyshop.com