Panto pair take the reins for this year's popular production in Hoghton

The Hoghton Pantomime Society - or Hotpants for short - is back again with its biennial show as a new director and producer have teamed up for this year's production of Beauty and the Beast.

Director Ali Vardy and producer David Smith have stepped up to take the reins this time around and were delighted with how the opening weekend went.

After four shows at Hoghton Village Hall, on Blackburn Old Road, starting on Friday, the show is now halfway through its run.

David, 31, from Chorley, said: "It's been fantastic to see the results of al the team's hard work and to see so many people in the audience enjoying themselves."

While he is no stranger to the stage - playing the back end of Zeboy the zebra in the 2002 production of Dick Whittington - he has been a key backstage presence in recent years.

But after group co-founder Russell Atkinson, who produced and directed Jack and the Beanstalk two years ago, decided to step back to focus just on his stage role this year - Dave and Ali stepped forward.

Of their producing and directorial debuts, Dave said: "We didn't want the group to disappear if the people running it stopped and we didn't want to lose their experience and know-how.

"It's definitely been an eye-opener - there's a lot that goes on in the background that you don't think about when you aren't doing the job."

The show's cast are predominantly from the Hoghton and Chorley areas, and feature dancers from the City of Preston Dance Academy.

Tickets are still on sale for this weekend's shows - on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Visit www.hoghtonpantomime.co.uk