COMEDIAN Ken Dodd presented the staff and volunteers of Weymouth Pavilion with an award recognising all their hard work.

The 87-year-old veteran performer stopped off in Weymouth as part of his new Happiness Show on Sunday evening.

The award is from the Old Theatres magazine, of which Ken Dodd is a patron, and is a certificate of achievement.

The Pavilion is now run as a community venture after previously being operated by the borough council.

The award reads: “This special Old Theatres award is presented to directors Phil Say and Lou Dominey in recognition of the effort they have made heading a team of staff and volunteers in bringing to fruition the return of the Weymouth Pavilion.”

Ken said it felt ‘wonderful’ to be back in Weymouth performing at the Pavilion and said it was a ‘beautiful theatre.’ He said it was good to be back in the town, adding: “It’s one of the last and one of the nicest English resorts – it’s beautiful.”

Crowds gathered in the foyer of the Pavilion as locals and visitors recognised Ken and he soon had everyone laughing along as he joked with everyone.

He then presented the Old Theatres award to Julie Storey, events manager at the Pavilion.

Ken Dodd said: “It’s because these people are very brave and wonderful people, they have taken on the responsibility of running this lovely theatre.

He said that up and down the country people that loved theatres were getting involved in running them. He added you could feel the enthusiasm of the people involved in the theatre as soon as you walked in the front door. He said: “ "They are wonderful people, they all work as a team.”

Teamwork is obviously important to Ken and his show was a variety show with a host of different artists involved.

Ken and his team played to a packed theatre – all of the nearly 1,000 seats had been sold.

He joked: “We guarantee you will laugh – we won’t let you out until you do.”

Ms Storey, said they were delighted to receive the award.

She said: “We very much appreciate the recognition of everyone’s hard work in returning the Pavilion to the former glory it once knew.

"We are delighted and overwhelmed by the support given by locals and visitors."

in terms of shows and hire of the space or just popping in for a coffee and a chat.”

The Pavilion has a packed summer schedule that includes comic Jasper Carrott, new play House of Ghosts, Sunday Night Comedy, an Easter panto, the summer panto Pirates of the Pavilion, Noah the musical and sing-along-a-Frozen among others.