Journalist John Warburton has been named the funniest comic in the North-West this year.

And he celebrated winning the City Life Comedian Of The Year title by asking his girlfriend Sarah to marry him from the stage of Manchester’s Comedy Store. She accepted.

He told the audience: “I told myself that if I won, I’d ask my girlfriend to marry me. It’s been a fantastic night.”

And collecting his £200 prize from last year’s winner, Seymour Mace, he joked: “Do I have to declare this on tax?”

Runner-up to Warburton, whose employers include the Daily Sport, was Ian Fox, with Andy Smith coming in third.

Previous winners of the award have included Caroline Aherne, Dave Spikey and Peter Kay. Click here for a full list.