Marguerite Grant has triumphed at the 2016 Silver Stand Up final.

The competition, which is held as part of Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival, is open to comedians over the age of 55.

Grant was crowned the 2016 Silver Stand Up champion at a final that was held last night (Thursday 18th February) at Bowie's Bar in Leicester's Belmont Hotel.

56 year-old Grant, now based in Cambridgeshire, first tried performing live comedy in her native Missouri. The competition organisers says: "Her in-character routine as a housewife inventor delighted the crowd and the judges, and marked her out as one to watch."

The final, which was hosted by Janice Connolly in character as Barbara Nice, was the fifth year of the contest.

The live show saw each performer deliver a 10 minute set in front of the crowd and a judging panel, which comprised of BBC Radio Leicester presenter Monica Winfield, Martyn Allison from festival promoters the Big Difference Company, and Age UK's Troy Young.

The other finalists taking part in the final were Colin Harris, Sandra Hale, Fred Ferenczi, Debra Heighton and Brian Cowles.

The organisers say: "2016 was a good year for character acts, with the runners-up including 61 year-old Peter Purvis's oddball creation Fred Ferenczi, and 62 year-old Brian Cowles, with his half-spoken, half-comedy rap set or, as it he calls, it 'Geri-raptric'."