AN electrician is making his TV debut after being looked up in an on-line phone book by a production company.

The owner of Northern Lights Electrical and Plumbing Ltd was emailed by the BBC after he was spotted by them on website Yell.com.

Julian Aspin, 28, of Garden Street, Great Harwood, was asked if he would be interested in standing in for BBC1 show DIY SOS's regular electrician, Billy.

By the end of his week with the show Julian had made an impression on the production team and is due to take part in a Christmas special of the show later this year.

The episode was scheduled to aired tomorrow at 8.30pm but has now been put back to a later date.

Julian, who has run Nothern Lights, Meadow Street, Great Harwood, for five years, thought someone was 'taking the mickey' when he received the e-mail but still replied.

He stood in for Billy, who was at a wedding in Ireland, and spent a week with the DIY SOS team making over a house in Rawtenstall.

Julian, who lives with his partner, Jane Tweddle, 33, said: "The BBC sent me an e-mail asking if I was interested in taking over from Billy, the show's normal electrician.

"At first I thought it was someone taking the mickey.

"But a second e-mail was sent saying that they had checked all the company credentials and everything checked out for me to come on the show.

"I was still a bit sceptical, then Billy, the electrician, rang me on the Friday asking when we could meet up."

After four days with the team Julian was made a DIY SOS member - and he was given the show's trademark poloshirt. Julian said: "Nick Knowles, the head man on the show, and the team presented me with my own DIY SOS polo shirt, which they make me change on camera, for my Northern Lights T shirt which was a bit em-barrassing."

"It is more like a comedy show than a DIY show and I helped them with sunts.

"In one stunt the team had me up a set of step ladders throwing a fireman's dummy at Nick Knowles.

"Those dummies are very heavy and I had to do 12 takes.

He added: "All in all it was one of the most eventful weeks of my life, filming for the BBC and getting on telly and then my first son, Korbyn, was born a few days later.

"As we were all packing up to go home, the producer came over and asked if I would be able to come on some more shows in the future.

"They said I would team up with Billy, and just recently I have received another email and asked if I would be willing to film a Christmas specials, so watch this space."