THE Beano will celebrate its 80th birthday with a series of events and a commemorative comic, edited by children's author David Walliams.

Home to characters such as Dennis the Menace, Minnie the Minx and The Bash Street Kids, it first hit news stands on July 30, 1938 as a companion paper to The Dandy which went on sale eight months earlier.

Created by publisher DC Thomson in Dundee, it sold almost two million copies weekly in the 1950s and has continued to be popular with children over the decades.

Dennis The Menace is the longest-running character to appear in the comic.

He made his Beano debut on March 17, 1951, but the "World's Wildest Boy" had to wait until May 5 of that year to be given his trademark black-and-red stripped jumper.

A series of events have been staged to mark the 80th anniversary with Dundee's McManus museum renamed the McMenace for an exhibition celebrating 80 years of the comic.

It includes original artwork, a first edition of the Beano, fan club memorabilia, and a history of publishers DC Thomson with visitors encouraged to dress up as their favourite characters.

Actor and children's author David Walliams has guest edited a commemorative issue also marking the anniversary.

Walliams' features in the comic have a nod to other character staples from the Dundee-based comic, such as Lord Snooty, Tin-Can Tommy and Pansy Potter.

In his editor's letter, Walliams said: "What I always loved about the Beano was that it felt naughty. It was a comic that you should read under the duvet with a torchlight. I don't think I'd have got into writing my books without Beano."