A PADGATE comedian is hoping his taxi joke can rival stand-up star Tim Vine’s gag about hoovers after it was voted funniest at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The one-liner: "I decided to sell my Hoover... well it was just collecting dust" scooped almost a fifth of the votes in a competition run by comedy television channel Dave.

But funny man Bobby Murdock is hoping he will win Warrington’s vote with his joke: “I just got a cab to the gig and the taxi driver was a spotty teenager...it was an acne cab.”

Scooping the prize of Warrington’s favourite joke would add to a hectic 12 months for the 36-year-old who has performed the equivalent of a year’s worth of gigs in the space of 25 days during the Scottish comedy festival.

In preparation for his twice daily Fringe shows, Bobby was also performing four gigs in seven days for four months but says all his hard work is now starting to pay off.

He added: “I feel like I’m on fire at the moment.

“I’ve had some great gigs up here so far and sold-out 11 shows so far at my venue which is great for an unknown act.

“One guy stopped me after and said he had really enjoyed it and asked if I wanted to play a 350-seat theatre on Leicester Square next year so it’s going really well.

“To go from doing little gigs in the corner of pubs to 350 seats next year makes me feel like Susan Boyle...and I’m about as good looking!”

But it hasn’t all been smooth-sailing as just before one of his gigs, Bobby had to help a man having a stroke.

He added: “I looked at him and he mouth ‘Help’ at me and I just had to keep his airway open until an ambulance arrived.

“He was fine but it was one of the scariest things I have ever done and then I was told I had 20 minutes to get on stage.”

Anyone heading to Edinburgh during the final week of shows can catch Bobby upstairs in room 4 of venue 32, Cowgate Head, Cowgate.

Let us know whether you prefer Tim Vine’s Fringe joke or Bobby’s as our Warrington joke of the year and if you think you can do better, leave your gags below.