Paul McCartney to appear in final Dandy comic

The musician wrote a letter to the comic's publishers earlier this year

Sir Paul McCartney has fulfilled a "personal ambition" by being immortalised in The Dandy.

The former Beatle will appear alongside Desperate Dan in the last-ever print edition, which goes on sale this week.

According to publishers DC Thomson, Sir Paul got in touch after they announced the end of the comic in August.

He wrote: "In 1963, in the NME, when asked what my personal ambition was, I replied - to have my picture in The Dandy! I hope it's not too late!"

"The Dandy was a favourite comic of mine when growing up in Liverpool and each week I would look forward to the exploits of Desperate Dan and his other comic book colleagues."

Sir Paul will be seen grimacing as Desperate Dan, unaware of the strength of his formidable handshake, crushes the bass player's fingers (thankfully the ones on his right hand - Sir Paul plays a left-handed guitar).

He then leads 50 of the comic's most famous characters in a sing-along version of Hey Jude.

Pop-up shop

Published in Dundee, The Dandy is one of the world's longest-running children's comics, launching characters such as Bananaman, Korky the Cat and Beryl the Peril.

But sales have slumped to 8,000 a week from a peak of two million in the 1950s.

The first edition of The Dandy, published on 4 December, 1937

This week's edition marks its 75th anniversary, after which it will continue in digital formats only.

The announcement has, ironically, increased demand for the struggling comic.

One Scottish newsagent claims to have received more than 700 orders for the final edition, with fans getting in touch from around the world in hope of reserving a copy.

Des Barr, who runs Sinclair Barr Newsagents in Paisley, now plans to set up a pop-up stall in the Braehead Shopping Centre, near Glasgow, dedicated solely to the final issue.

"The Dandy's famous cowboy character, Dan, might be desperate, but it's the public who are really desperate to get their hands on the final issue.

"My staff will be posting the comic out to people all over the country," he said.

"I think there is a huge nostalgia thing going on here. Since it was first published in 1937, millions of people will have grown up reading The Dandy. It will have been part of their childhood."