FAMILIES and friends enjoyed festive shows at schools in Teesdale, with warm applause for the efforts of all the pupils.

One of the biggest shows was at Green Lane Primary School in Barnard Castle, where all the pupils had parts as a series of colourful stories were told.

Jo Keighley's class portrayed some jolly aliens from the future finding out about the true meaning of Christmas. Sue Bailey's boys and girls were dressed as enticing presents as they told about reindeer, toys, mistletoe and angels.

Andrea Watson's class did some lively rocking around a decorated tree, while Fiona Kennedy's group gave a merry rendering of the poem Twas the Night before Christmas.

Thomas Saxby appeared as Santa, with Chloe White as his wife, at Middleton in Teesdale Primary School's production of Santa's On Strike. James Tarn had an important role as Rudolph, with his team made up by Matthew Dent, Elliot Bevan, Lotte Evans, Sam Holmes, Chloe Ghilding and Kathryn Hext.

Other pupils were praised by the audience as they appeared as families - the Wisemens, the Shepherds, the Kings and the Starrs, plus the Elves who provided some fancy footwork.

Pupils could claim to be staging a world premiere with Bowes Primary School's production, The Animals' Tale, as it was written specially for them by a local resident Amanda Heitler.

She also produced the play, which attracted a packed audience to the village hall, and was proud to see her son, Nicholas, playing King Herod. Rebecca Walker and Matthew Todhunter played Mary and Joseph.

Headteacher Sue Griffiths thanked Mrs Heitler, who said that though she had written other short pieces, this was her first nativity play. She felt all the boys and girls gave excellent performances.