A SURVEY carried out by leading pub restaurant chain Brewers Fayre has proved that Northerners really do have the last laugh.

The study confirmed that easy-going residents in the North laugh on average four times more a day than Southerners.

As part of a Comic Relief-themed survey, conducted in Brewers Fayre restaurants across the UK, customers were asked how often they laughed, what usually sparked their mirth and which comedians knew how to tickle their fancy.

The survey revealed it the legendary northern sense of humour tipped the chortle-scales, with more than 80 per cent of those questioned admitting to chuckling at least six times a day. Yorkshire proved to be the most light-hearted crowd, with local people saying they laughed at least ten times a day.

People in Yorkshire and the North-East are the most likely to watch programmes such as The Royale family and Phoenix Nights. They find themselves laughing at funny stories, cheekiness and the boss's jokes.