Marenghi wins Perrier Award

Garth Marenghi: On shortlist two years running

Offbeat comic Garth Marenghi has won the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Marenghi won for his show Netherhead, about an amateur Egyptologist who enters a twilight world to rescue his eight-year-old son, who died in a hang-gliding accident.

The horror specialist had made the final shortlist for the second year running - his show Fright Knight was beaten by Rich Hall in 2000.

The win secures him a £5,000 cheque and the chance to appear in London as part of the Perrier Pick of the Fringe Season in the West End in October.

He beat Dan Antopolski, shortlisted for his show Antopolski 2000, Jason Byrne, Adam Hills (Go You Big Red Fire Engine), and Daniel Kitson (Love, Innocence and the Word Cock).

Springboard

Accepting the honour, the comic paid tribute to his production team and said: "This one goes out to Bob L Stevenson, where 'ere he may be. Thank you."

Previous Perrier winners, including Steve Coogan, Frank Skinner and the League of Gentlemen, have used the award as a springboard for their careers.

Former winners Rob Newman and Emma Thompson wanted a boycott of this year's award in protest at the involvement of Perrier's owners, Nestle, in marketing powdered baby milk in developing countries.

Nica Burns, director and producer of the Perrier Awards, rejected their criticism and said they were "out of touch".