MOST people have at least one story about a disastrous date or relationship woe they have had.

Gather a group of friends together and it is not long before the tales come tumbling out - rude companions, bad breath, awkward situations.

It was while sharing these dating stories with friends that Claire Sweeney was persuaded to write down her experiences and transform them into the show Sex in Suburbia.

Claire plays a 'relationship expert' who appears on an Agony Aunt radio show alongside Penny Crowe who takes calls on relationship woes.

The former Brookside actress explained: "I was doing the show Tell Me On A Sunday which is about a woman looking for love in all the wrong places.

"During the show I was having lots of disastrous dates myself so the producer said to me that I should write them down because they were funny.

"I started collecting my friends' stories, my stories and we got together and wrote the show.

"It was really good fun."

Having starred in the much-loved Brookside soap has made Claire a household name with her television and stage appearances but with such a high profile taking the plunge on dating websites was out of the questions.

It was probably for the best.

"No, I didn't do internet dating because I found it a bit difficult with my job.

"The stories my friends had were hilarious though.

"One friend came home to find her boyfriend wearing her ra-ra skirt, we developed the story and turned it into a love story where a wife discovers her husband dresses in her clothes and it strengthens their relationship.

"They become the best of friends and it saves their marriage.

"We researched positive cross-dressing stories and we have lots of pathos in the tales too."

Before it begins its tour of the country - stopping at Forum Theatre, Malvern on Monday, March 2 - Sex in Suburbia played The Royal Court Liverpool enjoying four and five star reviews.

This isn't just a show for women though and the 43-year-old said they had groups of men, grandparents with their granddaughters and everyone ends up dancing in the aisles to hits such as I'm Every Woman, I Want to Break Free and Somebody Else's Guy.

"We get the audience on stage to tell us their bad dating stories.

"We had one guy who said he had taken a really lovely girl out on a date and it all went really well so she took him to meet her mother.

"But when he got to the her house he realised that he had also dated the mother too - I think he ran away pretty sharpish."

While Claire admits she isn't great handing out dating advice she does believe finding the humour in the situation is probably the best way to deal with any disastrous dates.

In Brookside, she played Lindsey Corkhill and has fond memories of her time on the show.

"It was amazing to be part of that show, really, really amazing.

"I do love Brookside, I'm so proud of my time in the show.

"It's nice to be associated with such a big programme."

But there is one television show she would not be keen to return to - Celebrity Big Brother.

Having come second on the first series of the show in aid of Comic Relief, she has been avidly watching the current crop of warring celebrities including Katie Hopkins and Perez Hilton.

"When we were in there it was nice and gentle. I'm glad I did it but I wouldn't do it again."

For now she is happy with her lot - heading out on tour with a show she has co-written and being a mum to her first child, son Jaxon, who will be coming to Malvern with her.

"As a mum, your priorities change. Life just stops in its tracks - your priorities change, your social life changes.

"I've always loved children, always wanted them but until I had a child I didn't appreciate what a woman goes through."

Sex in Suburbia tickets are available by calling 01684 892277 or online at malvern-theatres.co.uk.