FAITHFUL fans of Drac-ula sleep in them and Houdini used to escape from them - but now a motorbike enthusiast from Davyhulme is using his coffin as a luggage carrier.

Brian Capon, of Kingsway Park, bought the six-foot, oak coffin six months ago because he wanted some-thing different to put on a trailer at the back of his motorbike.

The coffin, which was advertised in a motoring magazine, has attracted unusual looks from Brian's neighbours but most people are used to seeing it parked outside the house.

Brian said: "I've always wanted a coffin and when I saw this one advertised I had to have it. People think I'm a nutcase and that I'm crazy but I don't mind.

"Most people see the funny side of it but you do get the odd few who don't like it. One of our neighbours says that since I brought the coffin home she has had a bat flying around her home and another presumed the Addams Family had moved in."

Brian's wife, Alison, said: "I've been with Brian for more than 20 years and nothing surprises me about him. We used to have the coffin propped up at the front of the house and it used to put people off from calling. We never used to get any junk mail because people would take one look at the coffin and go next door instead.

"Brian always gets asked what's inside the coffin - that's all people really want to know."

The bike's trailer also has a purple, neon light underneath the coffin, which makes it look even more eerie in the dark but Brian had no plans to use the coffin on Hallow-e'en, but if he felt in a devilish mood he might take the bike out for a spin.