A NEW club night in Bolton is hoping to strike comedy gold and spread the love of laughter all over Bolton.

While the University of Bolton's Student Union Bar is more the haunt of young students seeking solitude from stressful studies, it is now opening its door s to a more mature clientele.

The bar in Deane Road is hosting the newly launched Bolton LOL comedy nights which are open to the whole community to come along and have a laugh.

Celebrating an opening night last Saturday, the events have been organised by Bolton comic Lewis Charlesworth alongside the bar management team.

The 31-year-old, who grew up in Harwood, has been hosting comedy nights in Bolton for the past five years and is hoping to pull audiences away from the city centre and back to Bolton to see talented comedians performing on home turf.

He said: "We've had comedy nights before for students but we want to open it out to the local community and make it a regular event for everyone to enjoy.

"There's not really anything like this going on in Bolton town centre but there's a huge audience for it.

"People end up getting into the habit of going into Manchester but you can save £20, stay in your home town , get a few friends together and have a good night out. We want to change the way people think about going for a night out."

Lewis comperes the nights and books acts for the show, with stand-ups from around the North West heading in to bring a few giggles to Bolton.

The bar is hoping to appeal to a wide audience, with comics of all ages, background and experience in order to offer as much variety as you would find in city centre nights.

For example, the opening night include Jay Hampson - who has five years experience gigging all over the UK in venues, clubs and music festivals including a Zoo - Kevin Caswell Jones - an observational comic who is also a nurse - and headliner Andy Watson - a former City Life North West Comedian of the Year award winner who has supported Paddy McGuinness on his 'Plus You!' tour.

Lewis adds: "We have the likes of Peter Kay, arguably, the most successful comedian of our generation who is from Bolton, and yet there are no regular comic nights!

"Where most comedians cut their teeth is in small rooms entertaining local audiences. It's the bread and butter of the comedy experience and it's a real shame there was nothing of the like here."

The next nights are planned for October 29 and December 3, from 7.30pm, and if successful more dates will be put in the calendar.

To find out more and to book tickets visit www.eventbrite.co.uk and search 'Bolton SU presents Bolton LOL'.