Frank Sidebottom has cancer

Cult comic Frank Sidebottom is being treated for cancer, he has announced.

The funnyman, whose real name is Chris Sievey, told fans about his illness through his blog, but put a brave face on by cracking jokes in character.

Confirming his condition, he said: "Well, after all the hospital tests and scans, and X-rays and cameras down me etc etc, yes, I've got cancer."

The character - with its outsize papier mache head - became a staple of the college comedy circuit in the 1980s and has continued to attract a devoted audience.

During his act he talks about his native Timperley, near Manchester, performs humorous cover versions and discusses his hobbies - as well as performing a ventriloquism act with his cardboard puppet Little Frank.

Sidebottom was well-known to listeners of Mark Radcliffe's former Radio 1 show.

He has a tumour in his chest, close to his oesophagus, which is affecting his ability to eat.

He told fans: "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere just yet, and I'm looking forward to another 25 years in fantastic semi-professional showbusiness first. So I've got a few weeks off from live shows now to have a couple of ops and get shut."

Prior to his creation of Sidebottom , Sievey fronted new wave band The Freshies best known for the near-hit I'm In Love With The Girl On The Manchester Virgin Megastore Checkout Desk, as well as I Can't Get Bouncing Babies by The Teardrop Explodes.

Sidebottom is known for numerous songs about his favourite pastimes which describe each of the activities as "really fantastic".

And in his blog he joked: "Just for the record, my next release will not be Chemotherapy Is Really Fantastic."

Sievey told the Manchester Evening News: "I thought I had a tapeworm at first. Then they had a look and it was cancer. I have had worse. I had a cold over Christmas and that was worse."

Writing in character on his blog about his appearance in the paper, he joked "My mum is going to go up the wall - and across the ceiling."