A BOLTON comedian can stand up and be counted after winning a top comedy award.

Sophie Willan, aged 27, won the Magners New Comedy Act at Greenwich Comedy Festival, beating five other contestants for the comedy crown.

With just seven minutes to capture the crowd's attention, Miss Willan had the audience and judges in stitches before walking away from the Apple Top venue with £1,000, a review from an acclaimed comedy critic and valuable industry recognition.

Ms Willan said: "The competition was great because people were nominated to take part by stand up agents and from there I went through to the final, so the calibre was really high.

"In my routines I like to do a bit of storytelling and talk about quite dark but real subjects — it could be human experiences, families, relationships, or things that people find hard to talk about, such as mental health. All things that people can relate to."

Born in Breightmet, Ms Willan moved to Bromley Cross when she was seven to live with her grandmother, who encouraged her love of drama.

She said: "I have always wanted to be a writer and an actor, so stand up came quite naturally to me. All my school reports said I should be on the stage.

"My grandmother once took me to Ibiza when I was eight — I think she was having a bit of a renaissance. While she was clubbing, I was taking part in the hotel drama club.

"I always loved comedians like Victoria Wood, Alan Bennett and Billy Connolly and stated writing when I was about nine. I would write a full show, then perform it to my grandmother and all my neighbours."

Ms Willan admits that her 'creative side' occasionally got her into trouble.

She said: "I was excluded from Turton school for turning up drunk in a bikini, so you could say I was quite rebellious. I think it's a creative thing. I always loved drama and English, but the school system didn't fit my personality."

Ms Willan will be performing next at the Frog and Bucket in Manchester on October 15 for the Women in Comedy festival.

She said: "My first stand up gig was with Laughing Cows, an all-woman night which has been very supportive and helped spur me on. The organisers of that run the Women in Comedy festival, so I am delighted to be performing there."