Returning to West Yorkshire always brings back memories for John Hegley, right.

He may never have become one of Britain's favourite poets had it not been for a job he had at a children's day care centre in Bradford.

John says working for the social services unit for nine months after he finished his degree helped to propel him towards his writing and performing career.

"I was in quite a sorting out and shaking up period just after university," he recalled.

"If I hadn't done that I don't think I would have ever gone into the kids' theatre company which I then did in London."

John was brought up in Luton and later studied sociology and literature at Bradford University. While many of his poems are about his childhood days in Luton, his memories of Bradford are not as directly evident in his work.

However, he says his experiences of living in Bradford have had an impact on his poems - particularly his time working with the day care unit.

"Someone once threw an armchair at me and then jumped out of the window, although it was only on the ground floor," said John.

"It was certainly the most intense job I have ever done."

John, who is even an outside bet with the bookies to become the new Poet Laureate, has also absorbed some of the characters he encountered in Yorkshire.

"It generally gave me a knowledge of the people who were about around the North," he said.

"I love to return to the north. It enriched the dramatis personae of my poems. My dog Herman speaks like that in my poems. He's there, he's hard. he says things like 'Mek it right' and 'I'll be here while 11'."

Inevitably it was his beloved Luton Town Football Club which led him to choose Bradford for his degree course in the first place.

"Through Luton all things come. I had been to see Luton away against Bradford City in 1968 and I would never have gone to Bradford University if it hadn't been for that," he said.

"I was only 15 and I remember that I told my mum that I liked the place."

John even had enough of a soft spot to become a regular at Valley Parade during his time in Bradford.

"I was quite fond of the team and I started watching them. It was when Gerry Ingram was playing."

John also remembers giving his first performances of poetry and music at the catholic chaplaincy near Bradford University.

He's come a long way since those days and his latest visit to West Yorkshire is as part of a 35-date UK tour called Out of Luton in support of his latest book.

He was due to perform in Huddersfield last night and will be on stage at Hebden Bridge Picture House tonight. For tickets, priced £8.50, ring (01422) 351158.

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