THE ugly sisters stepped out yesterday to launch a season of entertainment that will bring a host of personalities to the region.

The pair will appear alongside Ray Meagher, Alf in Home and Away, and comic Stu Francis in Cinderella, in this year's Darlington Civic Theatre pantomime.

Also appearing at the theatre, or its sister venue Darlington Arts Centre, in the coming months are former Emmerdale star Frazer Hines, Sophie Lawrence, who played Diane Butcher in Eastenders, London's Burning favourite Richard Walsh, better known as Sick Note, and Casualty's Ash, Patrick Robinson.

There will also be a stage adaptation of a famous book which will have echoes of the television hit Big Brother when it hits the North-East stage.

The European premiere of the Touring Consortium's adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank will be staged at Darlington Civic Theatre in October and November.

Theatre head Peter Cutchie describes the show as the fullest stage account yet of the diaries, which have been somewhat watered down in the past.

"This isn't the bland Anne Frank, the pretty, 'isn't she a brave girl?' story," he said.

Mr Cutchie described the main character, who is seen growing up confined with a group of adults hiding from the Nazis, as a quite obnoxious girl.

He described the idea of the characters being stuck with each other as similar to hit television show Big Brother.

"If they had ever had a vote on who to chuck out, Anne Frank would have been the first out of the door," he said yesterday.

Further details are available from the box office on (01325) 486555.