A comedian inspired by life on a dingy council estate has reached the final stages of a prestigious competition, with a little help from her alter ego.

Jolie Pierce, 24, of Lewes Road, Brighton, performed her first stand up routine in January and has already been nominated for two major awards.

The latest will see her follow in the footsteps of Peter Kay and Rhona Cameron by performing in the So You Think You're Funny Awards at the Edinburgh Festival next month.

Jolie's success is thanks to a brash brunette called Toni, whose persona she takes on in her shows.

The character is based on the people she encountered growing up on a council estate in Essex.

Jolie said: "Inherently I am Toni but life has changed me. Unlike most of the friends I grew up with I went to university and got an English degree, which meant I began mixing with people from different social groups.

"Toni takes the mickey out of both ends of the social spectrum I have encountered."

As the dim-witted Toni, Jolie dons a brown wig, low-cut tops and cheap jewellery to talk to the audience in an attempt to make sense of the world.

Jolie is among 58 comedians chosen to take part in So You Think You're Funny? and will perform in front of a panel of judges on August 12.

Inspired by comedians such as Eddie Izzard and Bill Hicks, she first took to the stage at a cabaret night at the Ray Tindle Centre in Upper Gardner Street, Brighton, in January. The experience proved addictive.

She said: "The first time I performed it knocked my socks off to hear people laughing at what I was doing. It was an amazing feeling. It seems crazy that now I am about to perform at Edinburgh. I can't believe my luck."

As well as her comedy work, Jolie tours schools with a company called Shuffle Sisters, teaching youngsters about puppeteering. Until last year, she ran an online women's magazine called Slow. She admits being a feminist and an anti-capitalist, but said her routines are rarely overtly political.

Despite being a fledgling of the comedy scene, Jolie has already performed at The Brighton Festival and at several city comedy nights.

In May, she reached the regional finals of the BBC Three New Comedy Awards.

Winning So You Think Your Funny? would earn her £2,000 and the chance to perform at a showcase in front of Channel Four comedy producers.