IF naked old men riding motorbikes turns you on then look no further than Waking Ned for your entertainment this weekend.

The stars of this film - Ian Bannen and David Kelly, may be aged 70 and 69 - but that doesn't stop them from revealing all in this sweet, eccentric, British comedy.

When news breaks in the tiny Irish village of Tulaigh Morh that one of the villagers has won the lottery, best chums Jackie O'Shea (Bannen) and Michael O'Sullivan (Kelly) are determined to discover which of the other 49 residents has the luck of the Irish.

They throw a chicken and whiskey supper and endeavour to find out if booze will loosen any tongues.

But at the end of the night they realise someone's missing - Ned Devine.

And it's the greatest twist of fate that the poor old soul is found dead with the winning ticket in his hand.

Still, it seems a shame to waste all that money ...

Jackie and Michael hit on the idea of impersonating Ned and sharing the profits. Only in a small village it's difficult to keep that sort of thing a secret.

And the village post office doesn't have quite enough funds to cope with cashing a cheque for nearly £7million.

When the lottery man arrives from Dublin it's not long before the whole village is caught up in the elaborate swindle.

The delightful camaraderie between vintage double act Bannen and Kelly

is superb.

Although the plot is rather far-fetched it matters little to the enjoyment. Waking Ned will make you laugh and cry.

Good supporting roles from James Nesbitt of Playing the Field as a smelly pig farmer Finn and Maggie (Susan Lynch) - the object of his affections.

Verdict: 8/10

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.