A FORMER Middleton Guardian reporter has written a new book about teen angst and striving to surface from an industrial town to the top of the charts.

Mark Hodkinson, who grew up in Blackley, has based his latest novel The Last Mad Surge of Youth on his own experiences of gigging with his band around Manchester.

The 44-year-old moved to Rochdale at the age of 10 and, although he excelled at English at school, he decided to form The Monkey Run with a group of pals.

The band played at venues across Manchester, reaching their zenith supporting The Stone Roses at The International in Manchester in 1981.

Mark said: "After playing with The Stone Roses we discovered the difference between being fairly good and being fantastic."

The band broke up and Mark returned to writing, working for three years as a trainee reporter at the Middleton Guardian, from 1983 to 1986, before freelancing for The Times and The Observer.

The devoted Rochdale FC follower said: "As I’ve progressed in journalism I’ve realised it’s great training for anything that you want to do in life. You’ve got to get on with everyone. You get some sense growing up in a place like Rochdale.  I’ve still got family in Queensway so I visit once or twice a week. I’ve supported Rochdale AFC since 1974 – that’s why I look knackered. The book’s not my life story – I’ve just written about what I know. I never want to write about football or music ever again – I just want to cover more grown-up things. I feel like I’m stuck in an eternal childhood."

The Last Mad Surge of Youth by Mark Hodkinson is available from Touchstones and Kelsall’s in Littleborough.