He wants to raise £50,000 for charity before he reaches the big 4-0. He's already half way to his target.

He thinks nothing of standing on a stage in front of hundreds of people dressed as characters from TV series Little Britain, so he can raise more for worthy causes.



BIG-HEARTED cabbie Stephen Picton remembers exactly how it all started.

"I just woke up one morning and said to our lass I really want to raise £50,000 for charity before I reach 40," said Stephen.

The 36-year-old Streamline taxi driver loves nothing more than donning a costume and taking to the stage to entertain hundreds of people.

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The father-of-four has raised more than £25,000 for the Hartlepool & District Hospice, Butterwick Hospice and the intensive care unit ward at the University Hospital of Hartlepool.

Stephen, of Bede Grove, Hartlepool, said: "My mum always said I would end up on stage and that I'm the type of person that can make anybody laugh with my witty one liners.

"My wife doesn't mind me doing it although she gets annoyed when I prance around the house singing my songs and practising the routines."

Stephen once travelled to Nottingham for an audition to be a Peter Kay impersonator.

He was turned down because his Geordie accent was too strong, despite being born in Wales.

Over the years Stephen, who was born in Milford Haven, in south Wales, has dressed up as Roy 'Chubby' Brown, Mr Blobby, Peter Kay and a whole host of characters from hit BBC comedy Little Britain.

Stephen, who is married to Sandy Picton and has four children, Tony, Emma, Melissa and Martin, moved to Hartlepool at the age of 12 and started performing in various Hartlepool social clubs from the age of 16.

In the last two years he has held an annual Stars in their Eyes style fundraiser and has even managed to enlist the help of town-wide celebrities.

Former Premiership referee Jeff Winter, town boxers Amanda Coulson and Michael Hunter, media personality Paul 'Goffy' Gough and former Hartlepool United boss Chris Turner have all shown their support.

Stephen said: "I've also had the ex-chairman of Darlington Football Club, George Reynolds, as a judge. He said he would do it as long as I gave him one good reason why.

"I turned round and said you've sat in front of plenty of judges in your time so you might as well be one for the night."

It is not only the celebrities that turn out in force with hundreds of Hartlepool residents going to his shows too.
Stephen, who performs with his friend Gary Moore, 23, a taxi-driver from Seaton Carew, said: "People have told me that my shows are the funniest thing they have ever seen.

"The shows involve a lot of comedy and music from local singers.

"I do it to raise money for all the great causes in the town and that is where I get my buzz from. That and the fact that people talk about my shows for months afterwards.

"The shows are always sold out and if there was a venue in Hartlepool that could hold 1,000 people then I could easily fill it."

Stephen was the brains behind the fundraising drive to give terminally-ill cancer victim Jean Steel the trip of a lifetime to Blackpool.

Jean, 42, made the trip with her husband, Raymond, 51, and children Maria, 13, Raymond, 12, Shauna-Leigh, 11, Tia-Leoni, eight, and six-year-old Kevin and other family members.

More than £5,000 was raised by people and businesses in Hartlepool for the weekend trip.

Stephen said: " The whole thing was a great success and I booked the hotel, all the family trips and even arranged for her to switch on the Blackpool illuminations.

"Jean was so happy with the trip but I didn't really do it for her, I did it for her children and their memory boxes.
"As a result of the trip they now have a box full of photos, DVDs and cuttings from the trip and I would much rather they have those memories of spending time with Jean than for it to go in some trust fund.

"There is still some money left which means they will be able to go on day trips and I know how important that is for the family."

Stephen is planning further fundraisers this year and is hoping to raise £10,000 for the RNLI and 365 Care, a children's charity for disadvantaged youngsters in the town.

The Mayfair Centre, in Tees Road, is the venue for the show - Davyd and the Amazing Time Machine - on October 14.

Tickets are not on sale yet but Stephen is confident the show will be another huge leap towards his £50,000 target.