VILLAGERS were left stunned when comedy star Peter Kay arrived dressed in robes aboard a giant red settee pulled by five dwarves.

Kay, accompanied by a BBC film crew and various costumed characters, filmed a segment for this month’s Comic Relief in Bolton Road, Abbey Village on Tuesday evening. The Phoenix Nights star brought about many a puzzled smile from the locals as he and his eccentric entourage made their way along the A666 to the Hare and Hounds pub, which was also woven into the mystery sketch. Landlord Alan Issott, 51 a former teacher at Our Lady and St John High School in Shadsworth, Blackburn before he took over the pub in 2011, said that the evening had been “memorable for all concerned”. He added: “From what I could gather it’s going to be a spoof of a triathlon.

“Part of the skit was that Peter and the rest of them pull up at the pub which was made to look like a 1970s bed and breakfast.

“The crew changed some of the signs and put up a neon ‘no vacancies’ board. All the filming was done outside. Peter and the others came in the pu and they were even doing the make up in the back room.

“He signed autographs and posed for pictures.”

Kay, who is famously teetotal, stuck to sparkling water.

The pub, which is also run by Alan’s partner Viv Smith, remained open to customers throughout the surreal evening.

Alan said: “A scout was sent to find the location but it’s quite close to where Peter’s from so he knew the area.

“We’re all thrilled to bits it was filmed here. It’s all for a great cause.”

A Comic Relief spokesman confirmed that the film would be shown on Friday, March 15 as part of the Red Nose Day programme on BBC1.