Rehearsals for a youth theatre's production of Hansel and Gretel are well under way and the group is looking forward to take the stage tomorrow.

Theatre Royal's Second Star Youth Theatre is leading the project during half term, which sees young actors setting up the show in four days before staging the play at the Workington's Moorclose auditorium. 

It's the second time that the project has taken place and this year it involves 10 children aged between 10 and 16.

Millie Hardy-Sims, director, said: "The children get on really well, although it's proving difficult to get any rehearsal done as they laugh all the time. But at the moment I'm confident we'll be ready for the performance. 

"I've adapted the play and it's tailored for Halloween, there are scary elements to it but it should be fun."

Leo Morgan, 14, of Cockermouth, who plays one of the witches and the witch hunter, said: "I'm really enjoying it, a lot of my friends are in the company and Millie is a good director."

Kelly Pearce, 15, of Maryport, who plays the witch and the mother, said: "It's a brilliant experience to set up a show in four days. We've learnt our lines before starting rehearsals on Monday and that was the hard part. Millie is really good at directing and she makes it so easy for us. We're putting so much hard work into it, I'm definitely looking forward to Thursday."

Tickets for the show on Thursday, October 29 at 6.30pm cost £5 for adults and £3 for children.

Tickets are available by calling Millie on 07826519000, on the Facebook page Theatre Royal's Second Star Youth Theatre or on www.happythoughts.org.uk