AN ACCRINGTON man will appear on television's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire tomorrow on his way to winning thousands of pounds.

Viewers will see Syd Rawcliffe take the hot seat to face the first of a possible 15 questions.

The 44-year-old came second in the 'fastest finger first' eliminator and had to wait for a second chance before securing his place to face presenter Chris Tarrant.

"I've been trying to get on ever since it started," he said.

"I realised I could play this game during rehearsals in April. I had been fastest finger once and second fastest twice in rehearsal then the wheels came off," said Mr Rawcliffe, of Alice Street, Accrington. "There was one guy who was really fast. He had built a fastest finger first machine at home.

"We got to the night of the show but he was the first one on and did quite well. I was half a second behind him.

"Then the second one came up and I had to answer it twice because I got one wrong. I just took my time and made sure I got it right. I got on with a time of six seconds because only two people got it right."

Mr Rawcliffe filmed the programme while Major Charles Ingram was being tried for cheating on the show.

Ingram, his wife Diana and fellow contestant Tecwyn Wittock were found guilty.

"The trial was going on while we were there so security was tight, but they had increased it for the two years since the Major was on.

"Now you are frisked and checked for transmitters."

Mr Rawcliffe, a freelance writer who is a regular member of the Sydney Street Working Men's Club quiz team, is no stranger to television shows.

"I have always done quizzes and game shows. I have done Runway with Richard Madeley, Connections, and I was second on Fifteen To One with a score of 91.

"I also won £500 on Jeopardy on Sky."

He is also used to life in front of the camera as he has been a walk-on in several programmes including Cutting It and Doctors.

You can find out how the father-of-two fares tomorrow night when the programme is screened at 8pm on ITV.