Comedian Peter Kay has been pictured for the first time in nine months.

The funnyman, from Bolton, was spotted in the town last week.

In pictures printed in The Sun, the 45-year-old smiled as he walked along the street dressed in black jeans, a black jacket and a woolly hat.

The last time the star was seen in public was in April last year, when he made a surprise appearance on stage in Blackpool for a charity showing of his award-winning sitcom Car Share.

In December 2017 the Phoenix Nights star cancelled his first stand-up tour in eight years, citing 'unforeseen family circumstances'.

He has kept a low profile since then, making just one public appearance at the fundraiser in Blackpool, which raised money for The Lily Foundation, which treats children with mitochondrial disease.

In November last year Peter's Car Share co-star Sian Gibson teased a further project together.

She told The Sun: "I was with Peter the other day and we have got something in the pipeline. There are things to think about."