For a young lad like Mike Pannett, growing up in the North Yorkshire countryside in the late 1960s and early '70s was a dream come true. The sun always seemed to be shining, the summer holidays lasted forever, and when you were sent to buy a fish supper for the family there was change to be had from that crumpled pound note. They really were the good old days.

Given a fishing rod, a bottle of pop and a jam sandwich, a lad could wander as far as his bike would take him, and the countryside was one big adventure playground peopled by larger-than-life characters and endless opportunities for laughs and larks.

Like many a boy, however, Mike learns things the hard way. He goes on a bike ride and lands up in A&E. He tries to be helpful around the home—and nearly burns the place down. And when he goes on a fishing trip it almost ends with a shipwreck.

He's a likely lad, is Mike, and these are his likely tales.