York bid to find North's all-time top comic

ORGANISERS of York's The Great Yorkshire Fringe are supporting a contest to discover who is the top Northern comic of all time.

Current favourites are Victoria Wood, who died tragically young earlier this year; multi award-winning Peter Kay; Manchester-born Les Dawson, with his famous deadpan delivery; Ken Dodd, The Man from Knotty Ash and Wigan-born, ukulele-playing George Formby, the highest paid British entertainer in the 1940s.

London's Museum of Comedy is holding an exhibition in York City Centre to help people decide, with the results published at the end of the event.

To vote log on to greatyorkshirefringe.com/whats_on/the_comedy_trail/ to nominate your personal top three northern laughter-makers.

The Great Yorkshire Fringe has created The Great Northern Comedy Trail, 30 giant information boards dedicated to the events, performers and iconic venues. They will be placed at strategic points in Parliament Street.

Festival founder and York resident, Martin Witts, curator of the Museum of Comedy in London, says: “The Museum of Comedy is delighted to support this long overdue celebration of Northern Comedy, and where better to show it off than during The Great Yorkshire Fringe in the centre one of the North’s favourite cities. We’ll also be showcasing some of the best up and coming new acts from the North, plus GYF New Comedian competition returns for a second year.”

* The fringe runs for 18 days with 150 shows from Friday, July 15 July to Monday, August 1. Parliament Street will have three venues plus more across the heart of York. To book go to boxoffice@greatyorkshirefringe.com

Viv Hardwick