Is this the smallest festival ever?

A Hertfordshire town is hosting what could be the world's smallest comedy festival.

Just five shows comprise the first Hithcin Comedy Festival - one of which is the regular monthly comedy club Lastminute.comedy.

The others are solo shows from David Hadingham, Howard Read, Tony Hendricks and Ian Cognito.

But organiser Paul P Edwards, pictured, hopes this inaugural event will grow into an annual fixture in the comedy calendar.

The comic, who has lived in Hitchin for 20 years, described the festival as "a tiny acorn which one day may be a great oak on the comedy map of Great Britain".

Events run from July 5 to 7, as part of the wider Hitchin festival for arts.

Published: 26 Jun 2002