TALENTED youngsters are now rehearsing for Shavington's annual pantomime, which this year will be Beauty And The Beast.

The February show will be Shavington Village Festival Committee's 32nd production for what has become a popular fixture on the local calendar.

Sponsored by Mornflake Oaks, this year's show will run from February 16 to 20, with a matinee performance on the Saturday.

Traditionally the panto is staged during February half term at Shavington High School, because of the number of children that take part.

The committee was started in November 1976 by a villager who invited all local organisations to a meeting to discuss how the village was going to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

From the outset the committee decided that the festival's prime objective was to allow local groups to raise funds.

From that festival the idea of a village pantomime was born, with Babes in the Wood being staged at the village leisure centre in February 1979.

This proved to be so successful that it became an annual event involving 150 adults and children from the local community.

In 2008 the performance of Aladdin was nominated by NODA as one of the five best pantomimes in the North West.

For more information and tickets, which are £8 for adults and £5 for children, call 07913 372619. Also visit the committee website at www.svfc.org.uk.