Queen of comic verse Pam Ayres suffered the ultimate rejection when her one-woman show was cancelled due to poor ticket sales.

While the Brighton public has been clamouring to see performances by female comedians such as Rhona Cameron and Jo Brand at the city's Paramount Comedy Festival, demand to see the Seventies light entertainment stalwart has been slacker.

Her show at the Brighton Dome was scheduled to be one of the highlights of this month's festival but the event on Wednesday night was called off because of lack of interest.

A notice outside the venue said it had been cancelled because of unforeseen circumstances.

A festival spokeswoman said: "It's mad really.

"She cancelled quite early on because the sales weren't going very well.

"Maybe the sea air doesn't agree with her."

One slightly disappointed punter, who had bought a ticket before the cancellation, said: "She was very popular about 30 years ago but I don't think her stuff has lasted."

But while Pam flopped in Brighton, she was flavour of the month at a show in Eastbourne recently.

The festival spokeswoman said: "We think that is probably where her audience went."