HIS eyes burned with ambition through the thin layer of building site dust on his face. In mucky work boots and jeans he marched across the carpet of York model agency, sat down in front of the stunning blonde who ran the show and said defiantly: "I want you to turn me into a male model."

Then his name was Ian Terry, a spotty, strapping building worker whose ambition towered high above his 6ft 4ins frame.

Now he is Ian Kelsey of Emmerdale and Casualty fame, who tomorrow takes his first leading role opposite Tim Healey in BBC1's Murder In Mind series, called Vigilante, at 9pm.

One of my colleagues tried to get an interview with Ian earlier this week but got the bum's rush: "Ian's too busy shooting Casualty."

So I tried a different approach, I spoke to the model agency beauty who helped him get on the first rung of the ladder of fame with, appropriately enough, an Hussars' uniform and a pair of size 12 riding boots.

Never one to hog Ian's limelight Miss V, as I shall call her, recalled how she took him her model agency boots and got him a job dressed as Major Quality - you, remember him, he used to be on the top of the Rowntrees Quality Street tin with his Crinoline girlfriend - to hand out sweeties at a Theatre Royal play the chocolate giant was sponsoring at the time.

His size 12 plates of meat posed a problem for Miss V as she scoured the city for riding boots. She eventually tracked them down to a place somewhere in the wilds of North Yorkshire and Ian Terry was well and truly togged up for success.

"He later went on to drama school then began getting small parts, then bigger roles and he always came back to the model agency in Marygate to let us all know how he was getting on. And ask our advice about his latest publicity shots. He was simply a nice guy and I'm delighted to see him doing so well.

"I never doubted it for a minute."

Now that the builders' dust has well and truly settled, and Terry-Kelsey is making it big, I hope he is not getting too big for his boots and remembers that chocolate soldiers must never forget their roots.

Only joking, Ian, really.

- IT takes a lot to faze veteran Radio York presenter Elly Fiorentini - but then the Duke of York was in devilish mood this week.

Elly was preparing a microphone handover to the Duke at a posh gathering of the county's great and good and introduced his royalship with: "I understand you wish to say a few words."

From his position on the sidelines, the Duke remained with his arms folded and declared solemnly: "Oh you do, do you?"

Poor Miss Fiorentini was left with microphone outstretched, her complexion rapidly turning the same colour as her Sunday-best jacket - bright cerise - and for once she was speechless.

The silence was agonising until Elly found her familiar composure and pleaded: "Well, would you like to say a few words?"

The cavalier royal eventually took the stage and admitted his joke. "I like to keep interviewers on their toes," he said.

- MY spies in the crustacean fraternity have been busy putting their feelers out.

They say those chaps at the North Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee, a crabby lot if ever there was one, are due to thrash out some pressing matters at their executive meeting in York on Tuesday.

Spotted among the agenda items: The Lobster Notching Update and the Scallop Technical Conservation Report.

Perhaps their plans include a pincer movement - or maybe they'll be giving it the hard shell?

- I HOPE Pat Smith, editor of the WI News, for members of the North Yorkshire East Federation of Women's Institutes, doesn't mind me sharing these Sunday School howlers with you:

'Jesus was erased from the dead.'

'Jesus healed people with very bad illnesses - like the widow of Nairn's son. He was so ill he was dead.'

'Jacob stole his brother's birthmark.'

'Solomon had 300 wives and 700 porcupines.'

- Please be careful. This kit contains a small component with a sharp point (needle) - warning on a sewing kit.