Scores of people eagerly queued up outside the Alban Arena on Tuesday morning to nab a ticket for comedienne Miranda Hart’s now sold-out last-minute show.

Hundreds huddled in the cold from 8.30am and bought each other tea and coffees to ease the hours they patiently waited after the show announcement just a day before.

Marketing manager for the arena Chris Baker said of the pandemonium outside the venue: “This is pretty unprecedented, we’ve had it once before with Micky Flanagan. She’s playing on Tuesday and we only found out we were doing it a couple of days ago. It’s the first time we’ve done something like this, and hopefully not the last.

“It’s a great opportunity to see her [Miranda] in a tiny space. Normally she plays at the O2. It’s [the Arena] a good warm up place try new material.”

Leoni Kibbey, director of the St Albans film festival, waited in the queue for around two hours before securing tickets. She said of Miranda: “I love her she’s just brill, and one of the only mega female comedians and there should be more of them!”

Suzi Wegenek had been in the queue for a similar amount of time and praised the funnywoman’s “tongue in cheek” humour, adding she was “very excited about the show”.

Fellow queuer Tom Hagerman said of the Arena’s suitability for comedy gigs: “For me it’s the perfect size.”

Miranda Hart appears at the Alban Arena next Tuesday, November 26.