Comedy festival returns with 40 acts over 10 weeks

Stand-up comedian Angela Barnes, who is set to perform at the festival, has appeared in BBC shows such as Mock the Week

A comedy festival featuring 40 acts over 10 weeks gets under way later.

Comedians including Angela Barnes, Gary Delaney and Jack Skipper are expected to perform at the Northampton Comedy Festival which runs until 27 July.

Host venues include Northampton Museum and Art Gallery and Cheyne Walk, as well as pubs, clubs and coffee shops.

Organisers say many of the comedians will use the festival to prepare for the Edinburgh Fringe.

Northampton Museum and Art Gallery is set to host one of the shows

The first stand-up show, called Comedy at the Abbey, is being later at Delapré Abbey.

Mark Mullen, operations manager of Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID), which helped to organise the festival, said: "We launched the event last year and its success meant that we wanted to bring it back once again this summer.

"We're looking forward to seeing Northampton come together to have a laugh in some of the town centre's brilliant venues, from coffee shops and museums to pubs and clubs."