OVER 120 Laurel and Hardy fans enjoyed a weekend in Bradford as the city hosted the Sons of the Desert convention for the first time.

The conventions bring fans of the comedic giants together each year, and this year Bradford was chosen to be host.

Those who attended stayed in the Midland Hotel, which once hosted the pair, and visited the Alhambra Theatre, where Stan and Ollie once tread the boards.

They also took the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway to Haworth for a day out, and paraded through the city centre on Sunday waving banners and wearing Fezzes before watching a screening of classic films County Hospital and Way Out West, arguably the pair’s most celebrated film.

Dave Ballard, who helped organise the event, said: “It was a fantastic weekend. It was great walking through Bradford and seeing a sea of fezzes behind you.

"It has the feeling of a family wedding or re-union. The thing we all have in common is laughter - it is a good basis for making friends.

"It was also a great showcase for Bradford."

The event had been organised with the help of Bradford UNESCO City of Film.