WITH the credit card bills landing and diets placing chocolate and alcohol firmly off the menu, January appears to the month when laughs are in very short supply.

But fortunately, the Lock 'n' Load Comedy Club returns to King George's Hall, Blackburn, tomorrow night.

And it's a well-travelled line-up too.

The headliner is Pam Ford, a woman who considers stand-up to be her passion and she certainly has plenty of life experience for her routine. She grew up in Australia, has moved house 25 times, married and divorced twice, and has two not-so-sweet Aussie children.

According to her website, she considers performing to be cheaper than going into therapy, and she is described as lively and outrageous.

Her bawdy material apparently has had sailors blushing shocking, delighting and providing free counselling to the audience in one go.

Following her will be Paul Betney, who was one of the City Life Comedian of the Year Finalists last year.

He began performing when he was living in Japan, where he performed in English for the expat community.

He then took himself to San Francisco and spent six months gigging in any venue which would take him.

Since returning to the UK he has continued to perform regularly, especially in Manchester and London.

He's is described as everything from a storyteller to a preacher but prefers to call himself as "a bit of a nutter."

Tickets are £7 in advance, £9 on the door, which opens at 8pm tomorrow. Call 01254 582582 for more information.