Rock breaks UK comedy gig record

Rock hosted the Oscars in 2005

American comedian Chris Rock has gone into the record books for having the largest comedy audience in the UK.

The 43-year-old performed to a crowd of 15,900 fans at London's O2 arena in the first of two shows.

Guinness World Records officials were there to ensure their rules were met, and the promoters announced the attempt had been successful after the show.

The previous record of 10,108 was set by British comic Lee Evans at Manchester's MEN Arena in 2005.

The record was measured by the number of ticket stubs taken at the venue's box office, and latecomers and early leavers were not be counted in the total.

Rock performed for the first time outside his native US when he came to the UK to tour in January 2008.

Evans will have the chance to take the record back when he performs at the O2 - the former Millennium Dome in Greenwich, south London - in October.