The autumn gloom will lift for two weeks next month when the cream of British comedy visits Brighton and Hove.

Julian Clary, Jo Brand, Ed Byrne, Rhona Cameron and Robert Newman are among the household names already lined up to take part in the second Paramount Brighton Comedy Festival.

Organisers hope Brighton will soon be to comedy what Edinburgh is to film.

They hope to put the smile on everyone's faces with a fresh mixture of household names, cult classics and comics who are new to the circuit.

Among the expected highlights is the Sing-a-long-a Wizard of Oz, with the crowd expected to join in with gestures, expressions and song.

Bill Bailey, star of BBC2's Never Mind The Buzzcocks, brings his show direct from its premiere at the Edinburgh Festival, while political comedian Robert Newman promises to tell the story of the United States' "good works" in Vietnam, El Salvador, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Dave Gorman, whose Important Astrology Experiment was a hit on BBC2 last year, is sure to prove popular while Tony Hawks tells of his attempt to have a Top 20 hit somewhere, anywhere.

The 2002 Perrier Award winner Daniel Kitson returns, as does "Britain's most offensive comedian" Jerry Sadowitz, plus Boothby Graffoe, Mike Wilmot, Mark Steel, John Hegley, Tommy Tiernan, Al Murray, Jason Wood, Jimmy Carr and a host of others.

A mixture of comedians will appear in two Best of the Fest shows, while the Comedy Store Players, Men in Coats and the Puppetry of the Penis team should all be big draws.

The festival's opening gala promises top entertainment in support of the Staying Alive campaign to promote awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS in the international youth community.

The festival takes place from October 10 to 25 in the Dome concert hall, Pavilion Theatre and Corn Exchange, with associated events at Komedia and the Theatre Royal.

For the full line up and information on how to book, visit www.brightoncomedyfestival.com