AN annual drama festival will have a spooky start at a theatre this week.

The second annual festival at the Customs House, in South Shields, will be launched with The Little Theatre of Horrors, a play by David Cooke, which runs from Thursday to Saturday.

The story weaves in some of the history of the Customs House, including its former function as a morgue, used to store bodies found in the River Tyne and those of sailors killed during the Second World War.

Customs House director Ray Spencer said: "When the Customs House was reopened in the early 90s, one of the outside buildings in Dalton's Lane, where we now rehearse for shows, still contained blood-stained overcoats hanging on the door and a marble slab where autopsies were carried out."

Evening performances are at 7.30pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets are £5 and £7 from the box office, on 0191-454 1234