A new monthly comedy club will open its doors in Welwyn Garden City tonight (Friday) promising laughs, a joke competition – and free lollipops!

The first Collywobblers Comedy Club show will take place at Gosling Sports Park, with a percentage of any profits going to YMCA Central Herts.

The opening night party in the Collingwood Suite will feature brilliantly funny blind comedian Chris McCausland, Joe Rowntree, Dan Hoy and Sam Deards, with Sion James acting as MC.

Chris has been performing stand-up now for more than 10 years and is firmly established on the UK’s live comedy circuit.

He is the only comedian in the UK who is blind but his wide ranging and unique brand of observational comedy doesn’t milk this.

As well as being a regular at the world famous Comedy Store in the heart of London’s West End, he has performed all over the world and was recently awarded the Cultural Diversity award for Comedy by Channel 4, BBC, ITV and Sky TV.

He can currently be seen on TV in an advert for Barclays Bank’s talking ATMs.

Joe Rowntree, meanwhile, has appeared on Dave TV’s One Night Stand and Brainiac Science Abuse and is a great storyteller.

Completing Friday’s scheduled comedy bill are Dan Hoy and Sam Deards, with the whole evening held together by MC Sion James.

Sion has been MC of comedy shows at the Benicassim Festival in Spain, at the Hop Farm Festival, and at the world-famous Glastonbury Festival.

The line-up for the Friday, April 25 comedy night is scheduled to be BBC 5 Live’s Fighting Talk star Bob Mills, comedy rock stars Jollyboat and special guest Annabel O’Connell, with MC Sion James.

The Collywobblers bill for Friday, May 30 at Gosling is due to feature Ian Cognito, James Dowdeswell and special guest Tom Goodliffe.

Acts listed are correct at time of going to press. The organisers reserve the right to change the line-up without notice.

Advanced tickets for all Collywobblers’ nights at Gosling cost £10 and are available from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/262061 and online via www.goslingsports.co.uk/

They are also available from the Gosling Sports Park reception in Stanborough Road.

There is a discount for group bookings of eight or more, with a free ticket for the group organiser.

Entry is £15 cash on the night.

Doors open at 7.30pm and the show begins at 8.30pm.

Food will be available until 9pm and, of course, there’s free lollipops.