Builders merchant helps keep Southport Comedy Festival alive

SOUTHPORT: Formby-based RW Almond Builders Merchant helped sponsor the Southport Comedy Festival in October after funding was cut last year.

SOUTHPORT: Formby-based RW Almond Builders Merchant helped sponsor the Southport Comedy Festival in October after funding was cut last year.

The two-week event attracted big names such as Jason Manford and Ed Byrne.

Andrew Edwards, editor of the Southport Visiter, praised all the sponsors and supporters of the festival: "The commitment of the people who got behind the festival has been absolutely outstanding," said Edwards. "They are a credit to our town."

Brendan Riley organised the event this year after the funding cut.

He said: "I said when I took on the festival this year that I wanted to carry it on and I'm looking forward to running the festival for the next five years.

But it's all down to whether we can get the sponsors. All this year's sponsors have been great and Andrew Edwards and the Southport Visiter have been instrumental in the success of the festival."