PARENTS staged a pantomime for local children.

Parents of children aged four and under, who attend Sure Start activities in the Branksome and Park East areas of Darlington, gave two performances of The Witch Who Stole Christmas, at Branksome Community Centre and the Clifton Centre.

They had worked with the Cap-a-Pie theatre company to produce the pantomime, but made all of the costumes themselves.

Judy Gilbert, Sure Start health visitor co-ordinator, said: "It was absolutely brilliant. It had all the traditional pantomime lines, as well as healthy eating messages, which we are working on at Sure Start.

"The parents enjoyed it so much they're talking about writing their own pantomime next year and producing it themselves."