WHAT do you get when you cross skiing with a comedy festival?

Okay. . . it's not another dodgy one-liner from a Christmas cracker, but an actual event kicking-off in the Austrian Alps on Monday.

One that's bound to have your sides splitting - from laughter - not from stacking it on the half-pipe when pretending to be one of Team GB's Winter Olympics stars.

Everyone's favourite scouser John Bishop (after Cilla Black in these parts), pub landlord Al Murray, panel show regular Marcus Brigstocke and mad-as-you-like Essex boy turned Eastender Terry Alderton will provide the laughs.

You might have heard about Snowbombing, the music and ski festival in the same resort, well simply put, Altitude is that festival's funnier little brother (they always are).

Dubbed as the funniest show on snow, its hard to argue that unless you've got one of those mates who loves to ski in fancy dress after a few too many beers the night before.

Simply put - you ski all day, then laugh all night.

The big stand-up events place in a hall that caters for a couple of hundred punters. But the great part of Altitude is going to the smaller events in bars scattered across Mayrhofen.

Watching the likes of Eddie Izzard, Bishop and Brigstocke take part in random improv comedy with 50 other people in a random bar on the Alps gives the festival a rare intimate side.

When you think of stand-up these days you tend to think of the big names selling out Wembley and the 02.

But that's what I liked about Altitude, the fact you could watch these funny men do what they do best in a bar the same size of your local boozer.

It's like watching an episode of Mock the Week, Have I got News For You, and 8 out of 10 Cats all in one.

A wristband for the week gets you in everywhere and costs £180 - but you can also pick and chose your events and there are plenty of package options available.

And what about the skiing you heckle!

Well, at this time of year you'll find the slopes easy to manage, quiet and as much fun as the comedy.

The Mayrhofen ski area is vast, with the only downfall being the fact that you can't ski back down to the resort.

But when you take the Penkenbahn gondola to the main Rastkogel ski area there's plenty to keep you amused.

The fearless amongst you will have heard of the notorious Harakiri - pleasantly named after the Japanese word for suicide by samurai - it really is stretch that would be enough to scare the life out of you.

It's the steepest slope in Austria and has an average gradient of 78 per cent.

Great for impressing your mates - not so great if you've got white ski pants on and you lose your bottle.

Celebrate conquering the beast by heading straight to the Eis bar at the bottom of the Penkenbahn where you'll see a bloke dressed up as polar bear walking around like it's the most normal thing in the world.

Things get lively in the pares ski bars ahead of the comedy events and even livelier afterwards.

If you want laugh-a-minute a ski holiday with a difference then it's well worth checking out.

It's jokes on the slopes.

*Jonny travelled to Mayrhofen in the Austrian Tirol with Inghams Travel (01483 791 114; www.inghams.co.uk) and stayed at the 4* Hotel Kramerwirt.

Prices start from £739pp for 7 nights half board, including return flights to Innsbruck and resort transfers. Six-day lift passes start from £189, ski and boot hire from £138, and three-day ski school from £125.

Innsbruck is served daily from London Gatwick by www.easyJet.com and twice weekly from Liverpool and Bristol.

For more information about Tirol, www.visittirol.co.uk or Mayrhofen www.mayrhofen.at, www.zillertal.at.

For details about the Altitude Comedy Festival visit www.altitudefestival.com – twitter #altitude