FUNNYMAN Vic Reeves launched his art exhibition yesterday - and revealed one of his greatest "works" has been snapped up by TV host Paul O'Grady.

The presenter has bought Vic's Kent farmhouse along with a rusting Austin A40 buried in the yard behind.

He said: "Paul knew it was there when he moved in. That's what sold it to him. It's a work of art in its own right."

An exhibition of more of his whacky work, featuring bizarre half-human birds, went on show at the Opus Gallery, in Newcastle, yesterday.

Reeves, who was raised in Darlington as Jim Moir, left the region at 20 as a promising art student but switched to comedy after being heckled in a London pub by Middlesbrough-born Bob Mortimer.

"I'd put my ability as an artist somewhere between genius and moronic," joked the 47-year-old performer, who regularly visits his mother who lives near Darlington.

Reeves is negotiating a series of comedy ideas and is finishing an autobiography of his early years in Leeds and Darlington called Me Moir.

"If Waterstones book shop in Darlington changes its name back to Dressers for the day then I'll come and do a book signing because I mention Dressers in one of the chapters," he jokes.

Vic Reeves' exhibition, called Birds and their Interactions with Humans am/pm, runs until March 4 at Opus, in Shakespeare Street, Newcastle.

It is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5.30pm.

Published: 10/02/2006