A FRIENDSHIP that was sparked over the re-wiring of a Lancashire house has now turned into an acoustic wonderment.

The two friends are now a song writing duo and go under the name of Andy Oliver.

Their debut single, Save the Last Dance, has reached the top of the songwriter charts on iTunes.

But it hasn’t always been easy for folk artist Andy, 33.

The friendship started between him and bandmate Jim Ellel after he opened up about his past alcohol addiction.

“I was living in London, working as an actor and became addicted to drink.

"I would turn to drink after finding out that I didn’t get a part or if I wasn’t accepted.

"I just went off the rails,” said Andy, who has appeared in Byker Grove.

With support from his family and friends and his Clitheroe-born wife Janet Bamford, Andy was able to move back up to Chatburn and start his new life without alcohol and has been dry for almost three years.

He said: “Being away from the scene in London, I wasn’t around people who were drinking, so the temptation wasn’t there.

“My wife, who was also living in London, is from East Lancashire so it made sense for us to come back up here and that’s when I met Jim, who is from Blackburn.

“We got talking one day when he came to do the wiring in our home and I was telling him all about my past.

“He then became the first real friend that I had since I came off the booze, somebody who wasn’t on that scene in London.

“We both had a passion for music so then we formed the band under my name.”

Andy wrote the debut single and dedicated it to his wife for standing by him during his alcoholism.

Now Save the Last Dance, is also at the top of the Myspace chart and Andy Oliver will be performing in Clitheroe.

He added: “Without Janet I would have been a mess, she has been brilliant and every song that I write she can relate to.

"And without Jim things wouldn’t be taking off for our band like they are doing. Life is good.”

* Andy Oliver will be performing at The Grand, Clitheroe on Saturday, July 30 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 from the box office on 01200 421599.