FAMOUS fans of Bournemouth-raised comedy legend Tony Hancock turned up to honour the great man at the weekend.

Actor Richard Briers and the Kinks’ former lead guitarist Dave Davies helped unveil a plaque to mark Avon Social Club’s association with Hancock, who made his first professional appearance there aged 16 in 1940.

An intriguing entry discovered in the Bournemouth club’s minute book, advised its committee to carefully vet all comedians’ scripts following a complaint about a young comedian which turned out to be Hancock.

The comedian had made his stage debut in the hall of the Church of the Sacred Heart on Richmond Hill in 1940 but was asked to leave by the priest after telling a blue joke.

Mr Davies unveiled the plaque to the strains of Hancock’s Half Hour before watching fans at the club in Avon Road, Springbourne, at 3pm on Sunday.

It was organised by the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society and coincides with the society’s annual reunion in the town at the Queens Hotel.

Pat Hogan, secretary of Avon Social Club, said it was “a great boost for the club” to be associated with Hancock.

“We were surprised at the turnout and people have come from all over the country,” he said.

Mr Briers featured in a radio play about the last weeks of Hancock’s life.

He said: “I was always one of his biggest fans for decades. He was like my god and those wonderful scripts from Galton and Simpson.”

Mr Davies said: “When I was a kid it was one of the biggest shows on TV and radio.

“I think he was one of the first kind of social comedians. He talked about how he felt and how he was put down by society and didn’t fit in. Social commentary was driving the humour.

“When I did the plaque outside I got quite emotional because he was quite a tragic man.”