A FORMER Worcester resident is making airwaves across the pond in America with his own radio show - which he records from his car.

Thirty-nine-year-old Tony Butterworth, who lived in the city's Bromwich Road until he was 22 and moved to America in 1993, decided to set up his own show on the internet in October last year after enjoying listening to other people's efforts.

The podcast - which is a digital recording of a radio broadcast made available on the internet - goes out once a week and the software project manager estimates he now has some 500 listeners from across the globe, including fans in Lithuania, South Africa, Australia - and even some in the Worcestershire area.

The father of two's Homemade Hits show comprises six songs combined with about eight minutes of him talking, with an occasional special interview with invited featured musicians talking to him about their songs.

The keen self-taught musician gets sent about 50 songs a week which he selects from and then he records his speech in his car. He takes about an hour to put the recording whole package together.

He said it cost him next to nothing to set up as he pays about $9 per month to have his website running and makes the money back by having advertisements on it, with some listeners also giving donations.

Mr Butterworth - who was a pupil at the King's School in Worcester and the city's College of Technology and still has family in Worcester - said: "I sometimes ask myself what I get out of it but it's fun and I think I enjoy the interaction with people around the world and a slight touch of fame. In certain internet circles I'm a star.

"Sometimes it's a labour of love but mentally I settled into the fact that I have a core group of listeners who correspond with me and as long as they're listening I'll keep doing it."

People can hear Mr Butterworth's show by visiting:http://www.homemadehitshow.com