Visitors to a comedy club's opening night could be forgiven for thinking they are seeing double.

For while stand-up comic Mark Rough is serving up the laughs tonight his "double", Bob Gunning, will be serving behind the bar at Fanny's Ale and Cider House in Saltaire.

Both will be on duty during opening night at the Fnrr Fnrr Comedy Club, launched by Saltaire-based Mark, 33, to showcase local talent and hone his own act.

Last week the Telegraph & Argus reported how the freelance training and development consultant was launching the club after his appearance in the regional final of a talent contest organised by the famous Comedy Store.

Mark, who comes from Sunderland, bases some of his material on life in Saltaire from an outsider's perspective.

Mark said: "The first time I went into Fanny's and looked behind the bar my gaze was met by someone who's my absolute double. We look alike facially, are of a similar build and age and even dress in the same way - the only thing that gives it away is our accents.

"We're always getting mixed up - people ask me if I'm working in the pub tonight and after all the stuff in the T & A about me he keeps getting asked how the comedy's going.''

Mark, who has signed up with an entertainment agency and who is devoting more and more of his time to his comedy career, said he would be building the spooky coincidence into his act.

Bar manager Bob, 31, said: "When I saw his picture in the T & A it was uncanny how much he looked like me and people do mistake me for him.

"But we won't be forming a double act -- I'm definitely staying on the right side of the bar.''

Admission to the club at Fanny's in Saltaire Road is free with the laughs starting at 7.30pm on the last Monday of each month.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.