As the lights went down, more than 150 women whispered to each other and
giggled as the anticipation mounted.
However, when the booked entertainment finally strolled out onto the stage a
deathly silence fell over the room and the women gazed at each other in horror.
Dark-haired Fabio had been forced to pull out at the last minute and he had
been replaced by "scruffy" novice Leon Zbudowskyj, wearing grey tracksuit
trousers and braces.
"He looked like he had come off the street, he looked dirty, he was unshaven
and he didn't have a six pack,” said Debra Jones, the compare.
"He was diabolical, he was disgusting, he just didn't have anything, no
music, no dance routine.
"In fact he looked like he had been hit in the face with a wok.
"He just wasn't the sort of person you wanted to see take their kit off.”
Rather than begin a routine, 29-year-old Zbudowskyj simply stood rooted to
the spot.
The women, who had paid £10-a-head for the popular event, simply looked at
each other and wondered what was going on.
Eventually, they lost patience and started heckling, chanting at him to “get
on with it” whilst pelting him with screwed up serviettes.
“He looked like a crazed animal,” said one attendee who did not want to be
identified.
“He just stood there, staring at everyone with a vacant look. It was
immediately obvious he was no stripper.”
But the night took a distinct turn for the worse, culminating in a large
brawl.
Five police cars were sent to break up the scuffle at the Baltic Inn in
Pontyates, near Llanelli, South Wales and Cardiff-based Zbudowskyj arrested on
suspicion of assault.
Viv Davies, 58, who has owned the country inn for seven years, said the
stand-in stripper was unlikely to get further bookings.
