SPEND Spend Spend musical star Barbara Dickson, who plays 1960s pools winner Viv Nicholson, admitted yesterday that she's never bought a lottery ticket in her life.

Dickson, 53, who started off singing on the North-East folk circuit in the 1960s, arrived to promote the touring West End show in Newcastle and said: "There's something in my personality which blocks the belief that I would ever win the money. I think the odds are too enormous.

"I would rather put the £1 in a jar - it makes more sense."

Dickson won the Olivier award for her role during the nine-month West End run in 1999 to 2000, and has signed up for a six-month tour which comes to Tyneside's Theatre Royal from July 2 to 14.

Castleford housewife Nicholson spent all her £152,319 winnings in ten years and with five husbands. Her fortunes were revived by the West End run, although Dickson remains fascinated by Nicholson's "desperation to do anything to be famous".

She feels Newcastle audiences will want to see the show because: "I really do believe there is a fascination in our character with things going disastrously wrong."

For ticket information at Newcastle's Theatre Royal ring 0191-232 2061.