THE crowds came out 10 years ago today as Ulverston celebrated two British comedy legends.

Star of stage and TV Ken Dodd arrived outside the Coronation Hall to unveil a statue to Ulverston-born movie great Stan Laurel and his screen partner Oliver Hardy.

The Mail noted the following day: “Civic pride was at its peak as a £60,000 bronze statue of the comedy duo and their canine companion Laughing Gravy was unveiled in Stan’s birthplace.

“Thousands of people went to County Square to watch the unveiling ceremony.

“Hundreds of fezzes were in the crowd as members of the international Laurel and Hardy fan club, Sons of the Desert, turned out to see the statue their fund-raising had made a reality.

Mr Dodd gave a sell-out concert at the Coronation Hall and told The Mail: “I’ve been to Ulverston before and it is a fantastic place.

“I had a lovely welcome here today.

“It is an honour and a privilege to have been asked to unveil the statue.”

In 1987 Ken Dodd had two shows in Barrow and took the opportunity to be photographed with big two fans Helen and Alison Taylor, from South Row, Roose.

The Mail on Saturday, October 17 in 1987, noted: “Close on 1,000 people were all but tickled to death when mirth-maestro Ken Dodd took Barrow Civic Hall by storm.

“And he was, for once, perfectly serious when he said backstage: ‘That audience is the finest in the world – you can’t top those laughs’.

“The laughs kept coming, as when mention was made of the roadworks on the way into Barrow, ‘Congratulations, no-one’ll ever find you now.’ He chuckled."

The Civic Hall itself proved a great target, being a multi-purpose hall.

Doddy said: "You have to be out by midnight so they can put the buses back in.”

Fans at his second show did not get out until 12.30am!

He was back at the Barrow venue in October 1991 with plenty of jokes about his problems with the tax authorities.

Stan Laurel was born in Argyle Street, Ulverston, in 1890 and died in 1965 while Ken Dodd was born in 1927 and died in March last year.