CANADIAN comic Tom Stade had a busy start to the Great Yorkshire Fringe in the White Rose Rotunda spiegeltent in Parliament Street, York.

Not only were last Friday and Saturday's performances of his new show, You're Welcome, filmed for DVD release at Christmas, but dog-loving Tom also judged the Great Yorkshire Fringe Dog Show, in aid of Greyhound Rescue North Yorkshire, on the Saturday afternoon when around 40 canines took part.

Tom, who has two dogs of his own, oversaw an event with such categories as Dog with the Best Fringe and Dog and Owner lookalikes. Here he is pictured with the Best In Show winner, Mabel, a Bedlington/Whippet cross, and owner Debra Lane, from Fulford.

Stade, the ex-pat Canadian who swapped British Columbia for Britain a decade ago, is yet to confirm the DVD release date, but the show definitely "ruminates on life's oddities and revels in Tom's perpetual shortcomings".

So, what's the theme of You're Welcome, Tom? “People always ask that question and I’m always blown away by that," he says. "It’s stand-up comedy. I don’t do themes. I do funny.”