Marenghi scoops Edinburgh's Perrier

EDINBURGH, Scotland -- The winner of the 2001 Edinburgh Fringe Festival's prestigious comedy award has been named.

Gareth Marenghi fought off competition from four other contenders for the Perrier Comedy Award, which is traditionally one of the high points of the festival.

He landed the coveted prize for his show ''Netherhead,'' which tells of an amateur London Egyptologist who descends into a mysterious twilight world to bring back his eight-year-old son, the victim of a tragic hand-gliding accident.

Marenghi, who was handed the prize in a ceremony broadcast live on TV on Saturday, saw off competition from four other comedians, Dan Antopolski, Jason Byrne, Adam Hills and Daniel Kitson.

Over their 21 years, the Perriers have put the initial fizz into many a famous career.

The list of past winners reads like roll call of the great and the good of modern British comedy, and includes the actress Emma Thompson, actors Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, and comedians Sean Hughes, Steve Coogan, Frank Skinner and Jenny Eclair.

Marenghi picked up a £5,000 ($7,500) prize and the opportunity to appear in London as part of the acclaimed Perrier Pick of the Fringe Season in the West End in October.

More than 160 shows were eligible this year for the Perrier award, which is celebrating its 21st anniversary.

This year it came under attack from former winners Rob Newman and Thompson, who called for a boycott of the award because of the involvement of Perrier's owners, Nestle, in marketing powdered baby milk in developing countries.

Nica Burns, director and producer of the Perrier Awards, rebutted the criticism and accused the pair of being "out of touch."

The 54th annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival boasts having more off-beat comedy, drama, music and visual arts events than ever before.

The three-week cultural extravaganza featured acts ranging from the Puppetry of the Penis "physical theatre" show to a performance of Les Troyens, Hector Berlioz's epic opera.

With performances by 666 groups from 49 different countries in 1,462 shows, festival promoters promised the "strongest" show yet.