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County sorry for Laurel birthplace gaffe

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BISHOP AUCKLAND, England, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Officials in an English county said they don't have the money to reprint 50,000 brochures that falsely claim comedian Stan Laurel was born in the area.

County Durham tourism office printed the brochures claiming the comedian, half of the Hollywood duo "Laurel and Hardy" with Oliver Hardy, was born in Bishop Auckland. Bosses said they only later found out that Laurel was born in Ulverston, Cumbria, The Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday.

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The officials apologized for the error but said they do not have the funds to correct the mistake.

"It seems that urban myth has perpetuated an error in the Bishop Auckland town visitor map," said Craig Wilson, marketing manager of Visit County Durham. "Stan Laurel was baptized at St Peter's Church and schooled at King James Grammar in Bishop Auckland. His parents also ran the local theater, but he was of course born in Ulverston."

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